(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar)
The German government decided to prepare the G8 meeting that will take place during 6-8 June in Heiligendamm, a Baltic seaside resort, by increasing the number of searches and seizures to NGOs and anti-globalization movements offices and servers.
During the entire month of May the Federal Prosecutor gave order to the Police in Hamburg, Berlin and other states to search private homes, offices, libraries, social centres or other locations were there were located servers of the anti-globalisation opponents, without making any arrests. The searches and seizures were explained by the German authorities by the possibility to create a terrorist organization by the altermondialist German chapter of the association Attac, a group founded in France to campaign for a global tax on speculative capital movements to finance development aid.
The association between terrorism and altermondialism was considered as "scandalous" by the co-president of the Attac France, Aurélie Trouvé, taking into consideration the objectives of the association: democratisation of the international institutions, fight against poverty or the preservation of the natural resources. She rhetorical asked: "Do freedom of expression and democracy stop were the interests of the richest eight countries begin?"
Peter Wahl from Attac Germany has underlined the obvious political purpose of this operation: "to discredit the democratic actions that contest the G8 summit. It is an excessive measure that is incompatible with the rule of law."
Another measure that the German Government took was the temporary suspension of the Schengen Agreement until 10 June. Every persons travelling to Germany until that date will have to pass the identity and security controls. The German authorities have also banned any demonstration near the resort where the G8 summit will take place.
Searches against the alter movements on Germany (only in France, 17.05.2007)
http://www.france.attac.org/spip.php?article7093
The police authority Rostock - not the demonstrators - are severely damaging
the reputation of the Federal Republic of Germany (17.05.2007)
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2007/may/germany-g8-protests.pdf
Germany: Police raid G8 activists (5.2007)
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2007/may/02germany-g8-raids.htm
Despite Germany's Tight Controls, Violence (3.06.2007)
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=38015