hundred thousand people took to the streets in Geneva on Sunday I June to protest against the G8 summit in Evian. Contingents from around Europe and the world joined in protest, including 500 people from the UK. It was extremely heartening to also see 1000s of local people joining in the demonstration, undeterred by police warnings of possible violence.
There was a carnival atmosphere, with whole families from Geneva joining the protest. It was also positive that reporting in Swiss newspapers, whilst over-emphasising clashes between anarchists and police during the summit weekend, was broadly positive about the demonstration and the aims of those demonstrating.
The presence of large numbers of Swiss was central to that and, for the Swiss anticapitalist left, the summit protests were seen as vital to the development of their movement.
Switzerland, like so many countries, has seen its largest protests in decades in recent months, with 1000s demonstrating against war in Iraq. T Geneva and Anemase in the cou- housands arrived at campsites in
ple of days preceding the demonstration and hundreds were in central Geneva early on the Sunday morning to block the city's bridges.
Later in the day 2 marches, one from the centre of Geneva and the other from Annemasse, converged at the Swiss/France border.
On Friday 30 June 10,000 demonstrated in Geneva against immigration controls. .... •
Geneva has a high representation of international organisations and demonstrators expressed their anger at the WTO and the United Nations.
There were skirmishes between demonstrators and police outside the International Organisation of Migrants, with a clear message from the demonstration against capitalist exploitation and racist exclusion.
Building on the European Social Forum in Florence in November 2002, the event's organisers had planned debates and cultural events and well as the mass demonstration on Sunday | June. Imperialism and war were high on the agenda in debates and there was much discussion of the convergence of the anti-war and anti-capitalist verons
Particularly significant was the holding of an International Anti-War Assembly on Saturday 31 May. Activists from around the world came together to share experiences and discuss the future of the movement.
Many pinpointed 15 February as the day on which the international anti-war movement was born and highlighted the importance of debating in the movement as well as demonstrating and of the movement
• • •••• services. becoming a permanent one, presenting a positive vision of a different world.
The success of the American movement against war is seen as crucial to the broader success of the movement and speakers from the American coalition ANSWER were very positive about the deepening and broadening of their movement.
ANSWER see their current aims as to "organise against war, colonial occupation and imperialism".
They also made very clear connections between the money being spent on war and cuts to education, housing and healthcare
Across the world September is being seen as a month of anti-war protest and activity, with 27 September set as the date Anti-capitalist campaigning for a demonstration against the occupation of Iraq in London and as a co-ordinated day of action across the US.
It was pointed out that 15 February hac been a historic day because of the co-ordi. nation of action in 600 cities in the northern and southern hemispheres.
Other speakers drew attention to the importance of making links between the fight against war and the fight against neo. liberalism.
Speakers from a number of countries including Belgium and Greece, highlighted the importance of the involvement of trade unions in the anti-war movement, saying that this was the biggest single thing that would strengthen their anti-war movements.