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Paint attack protest on city German Consulate

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"This is not the first time. At the end of the day we will brush the paint away and that will be it Ingo Radcke"
Published Date:
10 May 2007
PROTESTERS threw yellow paint at the German Consulate building in Edinburgh in protest against the upcoming G8 summit.
The consular general arrived today to find the front of the building and several windows splattered and 'G8' daubed on the door in blue ink. The summit of world leaders is due to take place in Germany next month.

Police were called to the premises in Eglinton Crescent, Haymarket, earlier today and inquiries are on-going.

It is the latest in a string of attacks on official buildings and comes just a week after the US consulate in Edinburgh was vandalised.

However, Consular General Ingo Radcke was philosophical about the damage at the German building.

"I came in at about 7.30am, a little bit earlier than usual, and I saw it," he said. "Someone had thrown yellow paint at the front door and some of the windows of our offices.

"G8 is also written on the door. It seems to be in connection with the G8 summit which is going to be held in Germany.

"There are people who are against this meeting taking place because they do not believe it will do any good."

Mr Radcke added: "This is not the first time something like this has happened. A similar thing happened at the US consulate.

"At the end of the day we will brush the paint away and that will be it."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is to host leaders from the US, UK, France, Italy, Japan, Russia and Canada at a hotel in Heiligendamm, from June 6 to 8.

About 100,000 protesters are expected to descend on the Baltic Coast, ahead of the conference, in many cases with the intention of causing anarchy and destruction.

The German authorities are constructing a 7.5 mile security fence to protect the G8 leaders.

They suspect anti-capitalism campaigners are planning fire bombings and other violent attacks.

When the conference was held at Gleneagles in 2005 it sparked rioting on the streets of Edinburgh.

The attack on the US consulate on April 30 this year was in protest against the war in Iraq. Red paint was thrown on the building in Regent Terrace, and 'Out of Iraq' was spray painted on the door.

The incident, which US consul Lisa Vickers described as "wanton destruction", followed similar attacks on the offices of Edinburgh MPs Nigel Griffiths and Alistair Darling.

And on March 20, the fourth anniversary of the start of the Iraq war, staff arrived at Mr Griffiths' offices in Minto Street to find four smashed windows and anti-war slogans painted on the walls and front door.

Mr Darling's offices on Rutland Square, which he shares with MSP Sarah Boyack, were similarly attacked and Stop The War leaflets were scattered around the entrance.

A group calling itself an anti-war coalition claimed responsibility for the attacks.

It is not known who is behind the vandalism at the German consulate.

A Lothian and Borders police spokesman said: "We can confirm that overnight there was some graffiti at the German consulate.

"We are making inquiries and would appeal for anyone with information to come forward. At this stage we do not know at what time it took place."

The full article contains 543 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 10 May 2007 4:41 PM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: The G8
 
1

Jim A,

10/05/2007 18:13:42

Bunch of idiots think they are so smart, The fools haven't an ounce of common sense between them.
This is not protesting this is vandalism

2

Meredith Baxter,

10/05/2007 18:24:12

Oh get a life Jim A. A drop of paint on their walls. It hardly compares to the genocidal mass murder that the likes of Bush and Blair commit, and get away with. If this really upsets you more than the illegal occupation of a sovereign state with the loss of over a hundred thousand innocent lives in pursuit of greed and political ambition, by the sort of people this protest was aimed at, you really need to examine your sense of priorities. Bunch of idiots? Look in a mirror!

3

bobwmac,

Stirlingshire 10/05/2007 18:35:57

What do these people hope to achieve by sneaking up at night and throwing paint?

This is the 21st century. Use the ballot box.

4

James Donald,

Midlothian 10/05/2007 18:46:18

#2. Meredith Baxter - "A drop of paint on their walls. It hardly compares to the genocidal mass murder that the likes of Bush and Blair commit, and get away with" - yes, all very interesting but what has this to do with Germany or the German Consulate? "Bunch of idiots? Look in a mirror!" - think you should look in your own mirror when you call anyone else an idiot.....

5

Jim A,

10/05/2007 18:49:31

#2 Meradith Baxter, Nah you get a life, this has nothing to do with Iraq, Blair, Bush or anything else. And as #3 points out the Germans were against the Iraq war. I don't need to examine my sense of priorities or any other senses, protest is one thing, vandalism is another thing and if you condone this sort of behaviour then your the one that needs to take a look at their sense of priorities. I don't to look in the mirror to find an idiot, I just answered one here.

6

Eric The Archer,

Scotland 10/05/2007 19:02:17

The colour of the paint is significant - it is yellow. This is the same colour that the German Nazis used to identify Jews - usually by forcing them to wear a yellow star.

7

Angus Lindsay,

Hong Kong 10/05/2007 19:05:32

#2. Meredith Baxter

In condoning a wanton act of vandalism, trivialised by you as "A drop of paint on their walls", you align yourself with criminals. Simple as that.

Your further doublespeak suggests you want it both ways. The mirror on your wall should inform you, if it doesn't crack first.

8

Jim A,

10/05/2007 19:10:34

#2 Meredith Baxter, sorry spelt you name wrong in my last post. Ok forget the name calling, my point is, defacing private property or anyone elses property is wrong. Defacing the property of others is not protest it's vandalism. If someone wants to protest then be seen to protest, don't do something like this then run away thinking how clever. People who do this are not protesters they are cowardly numpties

9

huntedbyafreak,

Edinburgh 10/05/2007 20:28:23

The specific point of the action made on the german embassy, if you check the Indymedia scotland posting, is in solidarity with organisers mobilising against the G8 in Germany. Earlier this week the German police forces carried out 40 raids on social centres and squatts (on dodgy legal grounds - not the first time if you look back at the behaviour of other forces at previous G8s in edinburgh, etc). Consider the history of extreme state violence and oppression of protestors (the overwhelming majority of whom have nothing but peaceful intentions) at previous summit mobilizations (marked at its most extreme by the murder of Carlo Guilliani and the brutal beatings and hospitalisation of dozens of sleeping activists in a social centre by italian police forces at the Genoa G8). So the first point here is that tensions run very high in the activist community and the forthcoming summit in Germany is likely to be marked by even greater state oppression, unfortunately a sign of rapidly decreasing civil liberties and social justice across Europe more generally. The action on the Edinburgh embassy was likely undertaken with specific reference to this general historical background (rather than being thoughtlessly undertaken). The second point is that property destruction is not violence. It causes no physical or pschological harm to individuals and it's effects are, in the words of the ambassador, simply brushed away. specific targeted property destruction is thus a symbolic act of defiance and, in this case, solidarity. Protest has to step up its tactics in response to the (supposedly) unstoppable juggernaut of neoliberal capitalist expansion into all corners of life. There is an overwhelming ethos of tolerance respect and mutual care across the vast activist neworks that exist worldwide but people are increasingly prepared to do more to make their voices heard. otherwise (as learnt from bitter experience) voices are drowned out, lives are trampled. It is no longer enough t

10

Arrow,

edinburgh 10/05/2007 20:38:49

#10 "activist community"? are there still two Ls in bal*ocks? they are a bunch of no-hopers who have have no more interest in democracy than fly in the air. they beleive that they know best and those that do not agree with them are either fools or facists. they have as much sense as would take them out of the rain. if they were "activists" they would stay and protest and state their case. but no they run and hide. why don't the authorities have a symbolic round of bum kicking and ensure that these prats do not walk aboput the streets with their faces covered.
please spare us the pseudo philospphy bit about all things being linked. you will be talking about the unity of the working class next.

11

Paula,

10/05/2007 20:54:13

Note to the vandals -

GROW UP!

Idiots.

12

Digit,

Scally Fax 10/05/2007 21:08:56

Damn hippies.

13

Angus Lindsay,

Hong Kong 10/05/2007 21:35:15

#10. huntedbyafreak, Edinburgh

"property destruction is not violence. It causes no physical or pschological harm to individuals and it's effects are, in the words of the ambassador, simply brushed away. specific targeted property destruction is thus a symbolic act of defiance and, in this case, solidarity."

Wake up. Destruction, whether of property or of person is harm absolute, and it damn well does cause harm to the individuals whose property has been vandalised by tuppence-halfpenny "activists" like those you support..

Idealistic duck-eggs like you are no better than the criminals whose actions you give voice to. If you fail to live by the rule of law then expect the law to come down on you and your kind like a ton of bricks. The alternative is anarchy, and wouldn't you love that ...

14

SunShine,

10/05/2007 22:15:45

Absolute idiots did this. And anybody on this forum that tries to defend them is equally as idiotic. Especially you Meredith you complete fool.

15

Hezza,

10/05/2007 22:25:37

#4 Quite right - vote the German Consul out next May 3rd..

Marydeath - you numpty.

To the vandals - leave the huns alone.

16

John Sutherland,

Edinburgh 10/05/2007 23:34:33

This is the kind of behaviour which you might expect from some numpty BNP activists who still haven't forgiven the Germans for the two World Wars of the 20th Century.

That is well in the past and today, not only are Britain and Germany are strong allies within the EU, but the independent Scotland of tomorrow which Alex Salmond will hopefully eventually, be able to lead us towards, will STILL continue to be strong allies with Germany within the EU.

Therefore, this act of mindless vandalism has NO place in our modern 21st Century society.

17

Patrick Rioux,

Frankfurt 11/05/2007 09:56:50

Huntedbyafreak: You are right about the fact of oppression but wrong about the cure. To fully realise individual rights would mean fully respecting property rights as well...leading to capitalism. But you actually have much in common with the insiders at the G8 meeting, who see themselves as the managers in our very mixed economies. Neither you nor they really want capitalism and are eager to use state power to re-engineer the lives of others.

18

huntedbyafreak,

edinburgh 11/05/2007 14:35:10

Interestingly none of the reactionary comments to my previous post attempted to disagree with my points regarding state oppression, neoliberal global structures and institutions like the G8 (and the WTO, World Bank and IMF) for the role they play in perpetuating poverty, destroying indigenous cultures and raping the environment in the name continued economic growth and profit. You can deny this if you like but anyone who bothers to look into geopolitics, world trade etc in any amount of depth will see that im talking sense or else is in total denial. So if we can agree that the problem is there, that its getting worse and that the likes of Geldoff or Bono, let alone our esteemed leaders, are NOT going to sort things out, then it's not totally ridiculous that people (yes all sorts of normal everyday people, professionals, journalists, academics, careworkers, scientists, laywers, etc) might start to kick up a fuss. And this is not a shambolic unorganised resistance. It is a vast organic constantly evolving movement of movements, (documented and described by Klein, Monbiot, Kingsnorth, etc, if that makes any difference to you). It's not about unity but diversity. The tactics of the old left are dead for they themselves hem in and oppress those they claim to empower. This movement of movements is global, with links and communications from Edinburgh to Karnatika to Chiapas, to Rio, to west Papua. Anyone who thinks that the anti-globalization movement is a bunch of disaffected no-hoper western white male teenagers needs a serious reality check. Governments have already understood this and their reaction has been to come down hard and fast on any challenge to their authority. They know how organised and efficient these movements have become otherwise they wouldn't act in the way they did in Germany this week. But what if that authority is the root of so many of the problems we face. As our civil liberties are constantly erroded, at what point does the 'rule of the law

19

Jock H. the Republic of Scotland,

Denver,Colorado,USA.....N/BRA 11/05/2007 17:32:41

I would love to see the next G8. summit held in Dublin,Ireland and see if these so called Anarchists will run riot over there destroying that fair City and Country, or will the two arch idiots from Ireland namely Bono and Geldorf try and stop the destruction that will surely follow every summit,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

20

you would call me Kraut,

Leipzig 12/05/2007 02:02:10

Don’t wonder about the fact that a German „intrudes“ your 21th Century Scottish forum, I’m sure your national(ist) feelings will stand this; just be amused about my bad English. I support „huntedbyafreak“ in all points because s/he seems to be the only person in this thread, who has a clue. While you others are so furious about a little damage to property, the fact that liberal rights are drowning in in all EU-states by pointing to Terrorism seems to slip your view. In Germany there takes a political campaign place to criminalize all critique of G8. Right now they are discussing about the so called „Unterbindungsgewahrsam“ which means to put some people during the G8 in jail – its just 14 days and just another version of the popular preemptive strike logic. I am really astonished about the ignorant posts in this thread, because I thought you could have learnt from the Glenn Eagles expierence. Probably I am wrong and its better to beat everybody up, who has an oposing point of view – they are just vandals, anarchists,... – keep property save. Who is really interested in human lives, their needs and freedom? Law is like bricks pondering me down? Sure, your right. But therefore kneeing down and accepting this given little or demanding more? I think there is just on alternative. But of course you settled ones have to any objection the fitting defending-answer as long as your property is guaranteed. Care for urselves, stick to the meanstream and be convinced to stand at the right side, which you sadly identify as the legal system.

“When men are most sure and arrogant they are commonly most mistaken...“, (a Scottish philosopher who you should know)

slainte & with antinationalist greetings,

kraut


 

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