In what we hope will be the last ever G8 summit, the main aggressors and imperialist adventurers in the world will be gathering in France to try to wring every ounce of justification, glory and self congratulation in the immediate aftermath of the killing of Osama Bin Laden. Given Bin Laden was probably the 999,476th person killed in the mission to kill him is besides the point for some people.

Although the main focus of protests this year will be on the G20, the G8 cannot pass by without opposition. The warmongering and military ‘inventions’ of the G8 countries continue to visit havoc on other weaker nations that have been labelled ‘rogue’ by the G8 members. The reality is even after the apparent death of Osama Bin Laden, thousands upon thousands of ordinary people are killed and maimed in the pursuit of a neoliberal world that suits the rulers of the G8 nations and those that finance them.

We are not in a position in GR to organise a coach in the hope of filling it. But we can coordinate transport to make sure that anyone wanting to ravel with us from the UK can be part of a collective experience in attending the g8 protest and counter summit in Le Havre.

The fact that the protests against the G8 and the counter summit are being held in a French Channel ferry port make the events very accessible to UK based activists. GR activists will be getting the overnight ferry from Portsmouth on Friday 20 May, arriving at 8am in plenty of time for the main demonstration on Saturday 21 which starts from the Town’s university at 3pm.

On Sunday 22 May there is a counter-summit being held in the University. Wevhave a rought outline of the sessions planned, although no timetable of the event as yet. The sessions will include:

• Put Peoples First, not Finance! (solutions to the financial crisis)
• Gender Issues: Equality of Rights remains to be conquered
• Build bridges, not walls! (on migration)
• Feeding the people, not capital (on food and food sovereignty)
• Nuclear energy and energy choices
• Debts in the South and in the North: against austerity
• What transitions in order to respond to the environmental and social crisis?
• Arab revolution against imperialism, what international solidarity?
• Hands off the Internet

We are still to find concise details of the activist accommodation that is being provided by our French hosts, there will be some ‘solidarity’ accommodation offered by residents of Le Havre, but we’re also expecting to see a campsite we can use.

We will let you know more info as we hear about it. Drop us an email to office(at)resistDOTorgDOTuk and we’ll send info straight to you, to save you checking the website everyday!