Nottingham Gathering Minutes, May 2005

Here are the minutes from the Nottingham Gathering. A few sessions are still missing. Please post them as comments below. Thanks.

Minutes from Nottingham Dissent Gathering, 20-21st May 2005

N.B. not complete, some sessions are missing, if you have any more please email to resistg82005@lists.riseup.net ASAP

*Next Dissent Gathering, 4-5th June, Glasgow. www.dissent.org.uk for details*

SATURDAY

1. Sat am rural space meeting

1. Decision making II- Action group decision making

ACTION DISCUSSIONS:

2. Blockades Action Group

3. Cre8 Summit and G8 climate action group

4. Feedback Session Saturday Evening

SUNDAY

6. Announcements and feedback from Sunday morning

7. Minutes of urban convergence space meeting PART 2, part1 missing?

8. Media Meeting I

9. Media Meeting II

10. Communications Meeting

11. Post G8 Working Group minutes

12. safe space policy

plus funding minutes/budget

1. SATURDAY am Rural Space meeting

4 Zones –

Dissent/Riseup (which will be broken down into different neighbourhoods) horizone?

CND

People and Planet

Leftfield?

Update on convergence space… previous possibility fell through. Still looking at same area, within 20 miles of Gleneagles. Health and Safety and council – are pretty impressed with the way things are being organised. There are no official objections to a legal convergence space.

They are keeping an eye on numbers… concerns that more people than expected will turn up.

Site open for two weeks, 27th until 8th/9th. Week either side for setup, take down crew. Need a dedicated team of between 50-100 people for this whole period, ideally with woodworking skills/tools etc.

Will be a short shuttle bus ride from a local transport link/bus stop.

There are many working groups listed below. ALL need more people to join them!

Catering.

Specifics of catering… we need tents, marquees, large amounts of water, food waste and compost waste – need a tractor.

Likely to be inspected by Health and Safety before it all opens.

If people want to get together to make food for smaller groups they need to speak to larger kitchens for advice on health safety issues.

Transport.

Helping internationals to get around locally. Group needs to be formed to sort out information leaflets. Shuttle service will hopefully be organized for links between urban and rural. People driving down minibuses need to be prepared to actually drive the minibuses during summit. People need to make sure their drivers licenses are ok.

Alcohol.

Were considering no alcohol policy…however that will only encourage people to go off site and spend money at garages etc. Possibly selling alcohol will help raise some money. Dissent bar? Bars organized within neighbourhood spaces. Doing a bar for many thousands not doable. If alcohol will be available we will have to have alcohol free zones too and only make it available at certain times.

Power

‘adopt a solar panel’… Need access to panels, wind generators, car batteries. Will have access to biodiesel. Someone is doing an analysis of how much powert there is/how much wanted. Please let him know via the rural convergence email list what you want. Or what you have ASAP.

Water

Water systems need hygienic containers, pipes. Water distribution point in each neighbourhood and few to kitchens.

Waste

We will need a tractor. Recycling…? Co-ordinating with council to get recycling collection points.

Tat …/stuff

Need central tat co-ordination for convergence space. List circulated local groups to fill in what they can provide. So within cities the objects have to be collected and then the truck can travel round picking these things up in shortest space of time.

Police Access to Site

Site perimeter is going to be heavily policed. Stop and search, photographs, registration number notations. Police helicopters will be following movements. Road closures will be occurring near hotel. Decision needs to be made about how to deal with convergence security…what do we do if the police want to enter the space…? No police on site policy in Dissent Zone.

Allowing police and officials to have a look around the site before it opens, this worked well at Shakedown.

Site Security

Tranquillity team. Contributions need to be made to collective. Mobile patrols at night, 24-hr coverage of entrance. This team needs to be formed and plans developed.

Contact with people up in Scotland – and communications over the way things are panning out with council, site, etc will open out more now.

People wanting to go to Scotland now need access to a list of things they can get on with and involved with in Scotland.

Working groups need to provide contacts… so that then we can see where there are things not being covered.

***Individuals involved in working groups, make sure that you send out emails and post on websites the ways that people can contact that group.

2. SATURDAY pm Decision making II- Action group decision making

An over concentration on the rural side of decision making was noted

1) How does the decision making structure fit in decisions?

2) How will information be disseminated from spokes council gatherings?

Suggestions

i. 1 newsletter

ii. 2 email

iii. 3 central boards

3) How does interconvergence flow of crucial info necessary for decision work?

Proposals from this meeting

Communications group will have deal with the remit of dissemination of info. We do not know the extents of our ability in relation to printing and email

Action decisions to be kept autonomous to each action group and then can be brought up at spokes council if necessary. There will be no separate process for Actions.

There will be a central physical space for meetings all day long with info of all relevant decisions.

Prioritize information then spokes council meetings in the different convergences should attempt to be synchronized and communicate through email and phone to relay crucial info.

ACTION DISCUSSIONS:

3. Blockades Action Group

- call out to people - 6th July Mass blockade

- Publicity/info beforehand

- Maps

- information on site - urban and rural

- accommodation

- transport

- equipment

- info train timetables, delegates entry modes/accommodation

- training

- info/idea - type of blockade/ing

transport at back for food, water, medics

Information

- diff audiences - need diff types of info

- organised rumour mill - website

- volunteers to write call out

- public blockades

- affinity group blockades

- list of suggested places

- medic/legal support-----report back to those groups

Call Out Flier

- exp of why, standard text? why blockade not a march.

eg's of why it works -past experience. what it is

- what will it involve

- Quote about why they work

- op for variety of tactics

- eg's of ways to block roads - help people visualise

- urban and rural blockades

- it is going to happen!

- encourage people to come with ideas - we want a diversity of ideas

(facilitate so people have their own space for planning)

- encourage people to get involved in public blockades and affinity groups

- emails

4. CRE8 & CLIMATE ACTION JOINT WORKING GROUP SESSION

Started with an introduction to Cre8 aims and space. Showed a video.

- We’ve been talking to other residents getting ideas

- Huge task, contaminated land

- bringing folk along after the Earth Activist Training to do some workshops (11-18 June)

- then closer to the summit we'll have a community festival (28 June-3rd July)

- We're having a public meeting next Tuesday, delivered questionnaires etc.

- we have 3 geodesic domes & a marquee to use, building a stage

- recent history of community action in the area

- M74 has no legitimacy as a project - PLI and competitive tendering issues go against Scottish Executive policy.

Intro to Climate Action Group

- 8th July called as International Day of Action on Root Causes of Climate Change

- G8 working group exists, working with Rising Tide etc.

- www.dissent.org.uk/g8climateaction

- wanted to go for oil industry etc

- things happening in Australia, NZ, Iceland, Ireland, Belgium.

- things planned include Critical Mass in Bristol, something in London, affinity group actions in Scotland

- big public action was attempted but nothing could be found (yet) so no mass action for practical reasons not tactical ones

- can we find one?

- group will do media work trying to pull in issues

- CW booklet will be useful

Bike Ride:

- ends in Lanark on the 30th, then will work out where to go & what to do

- maybe interested as a group to work with cre8 to do workshops and as a base.

- will have tents, numbers uncertain

Big Public Action?

We discussed if we could arrange a public action on the 8th and if so what form it should take. Some ideas were suggested and the details left to be arranged in another forum. People can look into ideas and suggest alternatives that can be chosen from by direct democracy on the day.

PR

- the reasons folk in the Gorbals are against the road won't be carbon trading-type stuff but local things like noise & throwing up contaminated land

- Folk making a newspaper

WE'LL MEEEEEET AGAIN

- Glasgow folk will sort this out, contact: reshape-glasgow@riseup.net, cre8summit@riseup.net.

5. Feedback Session Saturday Evening

11 Discussion items were listed:

1. Legal Group:

• Legal guide now online and available at www.g8leagalsupport.org a link to the guide is available on the Dissent website

• There are now G8 legal liaisons

• 50,000 bust cards will be brought up to Scotland

• 10,000 copies of the legal guide will be printed

• There is a plan to run daily question and answer session at the convergence centres during July

• There will be a legal phone number but the number is ONLY for busts, not for missing persons etc.

• The Legal Team will try and pick people up / meet them at jail and also have someone in court

• Legal will do prison support BUT it is up to the wider movement to do this not jus the legal team

• To be a legal observer, contact the legal group

2. Transport

• To contact the group email: driventodissent@go4.it

• The transport group can not provide transport for the entire mobilisation but will set up a “core of minibuses” and priority rides.

• Looking to provide shuttle services between main events and transport links

• The transport group needs to know what people can provide transport wise. Please contact the group ASAP

• There is the potential of a “cycle pool” – pools of bicycles in various location with digi-locks but bikes are needed for this

• If a group needs a subsidy for a minibus, the transport group may have contacts for people as long as the bus could come up and be used in Scotland in July – contact the group for more information.

• Transport group will establish internal contacts for drivers/buses.

• If you can driver, have a car or a bus contact the transport group.

3. Welcome Group

• To contact the welcome group: welcomeg8@lists.riseup.net

• The welcome group has 3 projects on the go

i. Answering emails- there is a proposal to to write an FAQ to use in initial responses to emails and if answers are not sufficient, respond with a personal email

ii. Welcome/Reception Area at Convergence Spaces. This will involve a welcome pack but information needed from groups. Please send a draft of information by June 1st.

iii. Hourly intro tours to be held on site but translators are needed –to help contact the group

4. Publicity Group

• There is a new poster/leaflet that will be printed in the next week.

• There is the potential of printing a newsletter/paper but donations from groups between 50-100 quid are needed to help with future costs

• Flyers will be in London but there is a need for them to be distributed! If passing through London get some posters!

5. Make Borders History www.makebordershistory.org

• Looking for logistical support to help subscribe to the mailing group

• For groups planning and doing actions please keep in mind the precarious position of some people such as internationals.

• A map of Glasgow is being made

• MBH is working with Cre8

6. Urban Convergence

• The bulk of this discussion was moved till Sunday however it was noted that there was the potential of a University of Edinburgh building that will require a 3,500 deposit

• There is still the potential of squatting

7. Rural Convergence

• Possible site but nothing confirmed the site that had been previously worked on fell through due to an illness of the landowner

• There is currently a focus on the logistics of the site

• There is a meeting in Glasgow, Sunday May 29th and Monday the 30th to discuss convergence

• Alcohol policy – a proposal was made for Dissent to serve alcohol but with strict hours – this is a good way to raise funds

• If alcohol is to be served by Dissent, alcohol free zones are needed

• There is still the potential of the Workers Beer Company serving alcohol at the convergence site.

• Alternative technology/power etc. is still needed for the site

8. Site Logistics/ Decision Making

• Proposal: There would be a morning meeting each morning. Representatives from each working group and each barrio would attend. Plus, in the evening there would be a Spokes Council.

• There is a requirement for an official proposal with regard to a daily/nightly newsletter-to provide info that can shape decision making

• A suggestion was made that Indymedia could be contacted for electronic updates or perhaps SMS updates to people’s mobiles or news boards/notice boards around the convergence that can be quickly updated.

• There were lots of agreement to the news boards

• Question: Do we need concrete meeting structures?

• Proposal 1. Barrio meetings / 2)Evening logistics meeting/ site wide representatives from all logistical groups and 2 from each barrio 3) Evening meeting network wide/Spokes Council – Potentially an extra spokes meeting in the a.m. to link in with days activities.

• Comment: other meetings may be called when need be/any time required the G8 mobilisation is about actions not meetings!

• The structure f the morning meeting – all encouraged to come to the morning meeting but decisions would not be made without barrio representatives

9. Blockades

• Blockades are a go!

• There is a working group

10. People’s Golfing Association Golf Tournament

• The golf tournament for July 7th is still on and will still be held at Gleneagles golf course rain or shine.

• Golf training sessions will be held in weeks to come

• Contacts with artistic collectives needed

• PGA Website: http://www.tao.ca/~wrench/dist/g8/pga.html

• email: wrench@tao.ca or ReshapeG8@riseup.net

• Supplies for the golf tournament are needed such as:

o Stuffed animals

o Electrical Tape

o Foam

o Golf ware

o Golf attire

o Golf paraphernalia

• All golf items may be brought to the convergence in Scotland and will be looked after.

11. Cre8 Summit /Climate Change

• Dissent.org.uk/climateaction

• Working with cre8

• Parallel actions in Belgium, Iceland and many other places.

MISC.

• G8 Bike ride meeting to be held in a couple weeks time

• Communication needs

SUNDAY

8. Announcements and feedback from Sunday morning

9. Minutes of urban convergence space meeting PART 2, part1 missing?

8. Media Meeting I

9. Media Meeting II

10. Communications Meeting

11. Post G8 Working Group minutes

6. GENERAL FEEDBACK and announcements. SUNDAY MORNING

-Indymedia MEETING LAST WEEKEND

60-70 people, good meeting, coordination of radio, video, photos, infrastructure. Spaces are sorted Indymedia in Edinburgh, central, at the Forest café. Space for 40 computers, laptops etc. open from Wednesday before the 1st till the 10th. Will be a late or 24 hr space. Groundrules, alternative media space, no mainstream media allowed. Similar space in Glasgow, video coordination space, open access media space. No location yet. Rural there is connectivity Internet connection, people sorted. There won’t be loads of bandwidth. Satellite connection, 20 laptops for alt media. Limited bandwidth and set of connection to other spaces. Could be marquee with computers. There will be wireless connectivity on the campsite. Bring laptop with wireless Internet cards. Not enough power for desktops. Internet for emails browsing fine but prob not fancy video streaming etc. Some moveable media stuff sorted, actions that know where they are going to be it is possible to get Internet, LET PEOPLE KNOW ASAP. Contacts: imc-g8-2005@lists.indymedia.org

Tat moving contact Brendan, for coordination and so he can book a lorry to pick things up and transport them.

Feedback from women’s meeting

Hopes and fears meeting at the convergence to talk about feelings for both genders. Women’s space at the summit. Wimmin vs G8, will create their own barrio. Proposal to have mens and women’s meeting and discussion and time to reflect on gender issues, after the summit. There is no crisis and it was just an idea and it was nice and worked and no bug

Another gathering in Scotland proposed.

Need people to help organise.

When? Strategic, not too close, not too far. 2weeks before or 3 weeks before. Ideally the rural convergence will be set up 20th . 18th and 19th or 4th and 5th

11th and 12th- Loads of other things going on. Midday to midday proposal.

Consensus 4th, and 18th suggestion not to worry about catering. Will try and provide bread and sandwiches stuff but just get people to eat a cheap curry or chips or something, we want to avoid the folk in Scotland having to spend a lot of time organising the logistics.

7. Minutes of urban convergence space meeting PART 2

Recap from yesterdays meeting and then decided go through Glasgow and Edinburgh separately before doing a budget to take to budget meeting.

Edinburgh still looking for convergence space. Confusion over funding, need to know budget asap. Several possible spaces. Space outside Edinburgh for 200 people but price not known (estimated at 500 pounds).

Edinburgh student Union- workshop spaces, one big room (up to 350 people approx.). Space for an info shop at Uni.

Space near Bilston Glen. Some discussion that bilston should sort it themselves but they have no money to fund it themselves so it was thought dissent would have to fund. Decided to work out priorities

Uni building- Budget

3,500 full deposit for Edinburgh University

Accommodation space (big, approx. over 1000 people, meeting and sleeping)

4,000 pounds for rental and materials for sleeping space

Because the accommodation space also has lots of space for meetings, it was said that if we secure it, we could negotiate less space at the university. Person from people and planet is asking about this.

Agreed that the accommodation space would be our top priority. The university space is a definite option but the accommodation space isn’t. Felt we didn’t want to lose the university space before knowing if we can get the accommodation space. Currently the university space is booked, waiting for us to pay.

Proposal that money is put aside for the accommodation space to try to secure it, also money put aside for Uni. space and then finally for the Bilston space in that order.

Glasgow

200 spaces booked for week before summit in central

Possibility of going in with other groups spaces

Work Glasgow has lots of empty spaces that could be used. Currently no info point organized. Proposal to rent a shop front 30mins walk south of city centre for office space and sleeping space for up to 40 people (2,500 pounds needed to negotiate with landlord for 3 months rent).

Not many choices in Glasgow for rented space.

Money left over from Cardiff social centre money (unclear how much). Cardiff if needed will give that money to fund Glasgow info point.

Total for above spaces equals ten thousand pounds

An extra three thousand pounds put aside for a convergence space in Glasgow.

Discussion on priorities.

Decided that for taking to the budget meeting they would be:

Accommodation space in Edinburgh (4k – 1.5k from London)

Info shop in Glasgow (2.5k)

Sleeping space in Bilston (500 pounds)

Edinburgh University space (3.5k)

Money put aside for rented accommodation space in Glasgow (3k)

New list to be set up for urban convergence space group and contacts to be posted on website

8. Media Meeting I

• There is currently work underway for a media space set up by G8 Alternatives (G8A) with money provided by the NUJ. The idea behind this space is to provide an open space for work with media and will consist of three elements:

o A press conference space

o A work space

o A journalist space

• Any work with mainstream media done by those involved with Dissent may not be done in the Indymedia space.

• It has been suggested that Dissent requires a space to send press releases, talk on the phone etc.). There is the potential of ACE in Edinburgh, the G8A space and maybe some space in Perth or Glasgow yet people are needed to work these spaces/take on these spaces if it is going to happen.

• In dealing with the rural convergence space there needs to be a differentiation between the Dissent Zone and the site wide media policy.

• A sum of £500 was applied for to the Dissent budget meeting to cover the cost of phone calls etc.

9. Media Meeting II

15 people present

• Dissent media policy

• Festival of Dissent marked the start of a working media policy for Dissent by rotating speakers.

• Since the end of the UK elections there have been 6 phone calls on the “media phone” for example, Dissent was asked for a response to the “Stun Gun” article. New media opportunities are appearing.

• The person wit the media phone was recently visited by police-special branch.

• The NUJ has give money towards setting up a media space. Some people from Dissent will be interacting with G8A and attending the relevant media space meeting and will consequently provide feedback from this meeting.

• There is the possibility of having different media response teams for different events such as Climate Action etc.

• There is a difficulty in how to respond to general media requests such as the request for information on the tazer article. One of the biggest problems is the speed at which journalists require information.

• Proposal: Anything written back to a journalist should be consented upon before replying back to a journalist.

• It was noted that actions are easier to deal with than requests such as the tazer as press releases and the like may be sent out in advance around actions.

• The difficult of “how does one speak on behalf of the network” when the network has no spokespeople?” was raised.

• The experience of the people from Dublin during May Day could be of use. For the May Day action Dublin had:

o A group of people to speak on behalf of the network

o A group of people doing the writing of press releases

o A group of people giving sound bites

• According to those from Dublin there emerged a small core of general questions that were continuously asked by media. These have been compiled into the may Day FAQ.

• There is the potential of developing a Dissent FAQ that may be drawn upon to help standardise responses

• Proposal: The creation of a distribution list where information such as press releases may be sent out to journalists. Journalists would be able to fill in a form from the Dissent webpage and be signed up to a list.

• The question was raised, “who would the statements come from?”

• Response: A way around this that was used at the Festival of Dissent was to say that on was an “individual” which is part of the Dissent network. The network has layers from individual to group to network. However, there is a risk that the media will not recognise the fact that someone is not a media spokesperson plus, at the end of the day the person speaking is still speaking for the Network.

• There is a difficulty of trying to centralise something that can’t be centralised

• Discussion: A hypothetical talk through of how Dissent could respond to media requests pertaining to the question of stun guns.

• Proposal: Not to coordinate the mechanics of a press release but encourage ALL groups to create their own press release and submit it to the group.

• At present there is an email list that asks individuals or groups to respond to press requests at their leisure however the problem is that groups have not picked up on these requests.

• There is a current issue of separation of the media group from the Dissent network a suggestion was then made for a centralised media spokes team as local groups are failing. However this central team if it materialises must be careful how they present themselves to the media to ensure they are not presented as leaders.

• A feeling was expressed that there was a risk of criticism doing media work/ as a result of media coverage from both family/friends as well as those in the network.

• Currently a lot of the press are speaking to Jill Hubbard who by default is becoming the spokesperson for everyone whom is against the G8-this is not a good thing!

• If there is a G8A media space which is pegged as COMMON space for press stuff, Dissent should take the opportunity. At the same time, common press work may be difficult. For example, a common interview may be difficult.

• At present we have no idea what will be said at the G8 and what will happen so there is a need for a back up /emergency media plan i.e. how to deal with media in an emergency.

• If Dissent! Is working in this common media space, it is important to differentiate Dissent! from the SWP. Accordingly, it is necessary to develop a contingency plan with G8A to share the space. It is important to be pre-emptive in dealing with G8A in order to secure a media space and the ability to use the space.

• There is a need to put information on press releases such as action information but there is talk that both the medic team and legal team will not release information for media purposes.

• Discussion: Do we need a media space?

o Do we need a rural media reception space?

o G8A space? The G8A space should be used as much as possible but there is also a need for a quiet space to work in Edinburgh. There is an idea to create an “office” that media people and others may use. This may be the ACE space if it is not too busy.

 ACE has an office in Edinburgh

 The G8A space should be used as much as possible

 There may be an opportunity to create a office space out of the proposed Glasgow store front

 If people want additional space such as a media space in the Dissent Zone of the convergence space, there is a need for people to take these projects on!!!!!

• It is important to put a strong emphasis when talking with G8A on equal access to media and who uses the media space. Be clear and strong when dealing with them

• Proposal: Not to comment to the media on other people’s actions.

• There is a need to develop and present this position taken towards media to the gathering during the feedback session.

• Proposal: When a journalist contacts Dissent, the person who is contacted should write a short statement/response that they are going to give to the journalist. This response could then be circulated on the media response email list or “Counter Spin Collective” for discussion.

• The shorter the response given tot media the better. Give one sentence responses so that they can not edit your words once done.

• Proposal: To encourage one person from each group to join the media response list so that if a request comes in from the media people can create a dialogue around how to respond. However, a time limit should be set on the group to respond to any statements.

• The response to media should come from “[Insert Name] from the Counter Spin Collective, Part of the Dissent Network”

• Question: How do we set a time limit for email responses?

• Question: How does it fit with the current media list? Answer: The CounterSpin Collective will use the media response list which has just been established.

• Question: Have groups been asked to write press releases?

• Question: How do we deal with radio / TV requests?

• Question: Can email be used to disseminate questions in advance?

• Proposal: To develop an FAQ to assist with interviews and responses which will cut down work

• In dealing with press, the rule at the Festival of Dissent was that you couldn’t do more than one interview.

• Comment: While the proposed system will work during the run up to the G8, the day of is a totally different ballgame. The proposed system is difficult and unrealistic as it envisions people sitting around waiting for emails while at the same time they may be out doing actions.

• Proposal: That there is a specific time such as 6pm for a discussion with media however there was hesitation calling this a “press conference”. The idea of a press conference evoked laughs.

• The press conference should be held at an earlier time due to journalistic deadlines.

• There is a need for a “press conference” for the Blockades of July 6th.

• There is the potential of getting internationals to do media work as they won’t be slagged off by UK activist networks when the G8 is over.

• There is a danger of using internationals for press work which may make it appear like internationals have been shipped in to light it up and take off. Scottish and English people are needed on the ground.

• It is important to make clear that “no one wants to do it” / to do media work or press work.

• Proposal: The media group collect press releases from all groups

• Proposal: A pamphlet should be created outlining how the media process within Dissent! works so this may be transparent and not apart form the network. NOBODY TOOK THIS JOB ON

Meeting Recap

• Journalist information database will be setup on the Dissent website

• Try and get equal representation at the G8A media space

• The potential of Dissent office space at ACE in Edinburgh and a shop front in Glasgow.

• There will be a media tent outside of the rural convergence centre yet nobody has taken this project on.

• Establishing a media FAQ

• Establishing the CounterSpin Collective to negotiate and deal with media

• Holding “press conferences” during Summit

10. COMMUNICATIONS MEETING –

Reverse text messaging

Text messaging to communicate with protesters would be too expensive for Dissent to take on. Reverse messaging would cost the recipient 25p and Dissent would make 7-9p on each message received. It is very easy to take a phone off or put a phone onto the network so groups can switch the person receiving the texts. The texts would be limited to important info and estimated about 4 a day.

PROPOSAL: Reverse texting is used. The money that Dissent makes is put into anti-repression work.

Website Journalist form - request from Media group

It was agreed that a registration form for journalists would be put on the dissent site and this information could then be used to send press info out.

Web logs

Working groups and spokescouncils from each space can have their own weblog. This could be a useful way to share information that is not too sensitive. More info will be made available.

Real Time Communication

It would be possible to organise real time connection between spokescouncils if there was a joint decision that needed to be made.

Information Boards

It was agreed that each convergence space would have a central info board.

It would be the responsibility of each barrio to check the board and take info back to the barrio's info board.

It was noted that there are two different types of information; static info such as welcome stuff and where facilities are etc. and dynamic “on the fly” info.

Passing Information Between Convergence Spaces

For example decisions made at spokescouncils.

Each convergence space will have a Comms group and they will be responsible for passing any information between the convergence spaces.

Any sensitive info will be passed on in person. Otherwise phones or internet can be used.

THINGS DISCUSSED WHICH THE COMMS GROUP IS NOT ABLE TO TAKE ON:

Translation

Translation was discussed briefly but agreed that it was not something the Comms group could take on.

PROPOSAL: It was proposed that Dissent needs a translations working group.

ACTION: Babal are an organisation that provide free translation – need to check if they are being chased.

We had some useful ideas -

If barrios registered information about what language support they could offer at the welcome points, individuals could join barrios with language support if necessary.

At the welcome point individuals could have the opportunity to register as translators.

Translators not at the g8 could be used for translation that is not required straight away such as translating court papers etc. taking the pressure off translators on the ground.

Public Information Service– Missing Persons etc

Another thing the Comms group can not take on is sorting out how to deal with enquiries such as “I've lost my mate” or parents phoning up from outside of Scotland to see if their children are OK.

We discussed ideas of an advice line and an info board. But obviously sensitive information such as names of people who have been arrested etc. would not be able to be publicly displayed.

PROPOSAL: Is this something the Welcome group could take on? If not how can it be sorted?

Newsletter

The idea of a newsletter to be passed between convergence spaces was discussed. Printing maybe 200 to be distributed around the notice boards,

Issues – Who would decide what info goes in the newsletter?

–What access are we going to have to printers, photocopiers, power etc?

–Which working group can take this on?

FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION

How to moderate the information going out. Rumour Control.

Accountability of info.

Being aware of the different levels of sensitivity of info. For example if someone used the text messaging to send practical details about an action they could be done for being an organiser Sunday

11. Post G8 Working Group minutes

Arising out of other discussions it emerged that some people thought

there was a need to start considering issues around the Dissent

network post G8. These issues include

-Dissent 'assets' such as the website content and it's future.

-The Network itself; does it continue and if so, in what form.

-Advertising related events.

-Debriefing the Dissent network and the mobilisation against the G8.

To initiate this process, and following on from an earlier meeting,

Matt from Lancaster, Max from Oxford, Wietse from Nottingham

and Zoe from Glasgow met on Sunday night (22nd May) to initiate the

working group.

The following points were agreed on:

1.That getting feedback was important and that this process should

start immediately. This feedback would include whether there was even

a need for feedback, debriefing or where do we go from now consensus

to be dealt with. This was to break down in to several methods

A.Through the networks

a. Interested people talking around personal networks. ACTION: All to

do

b. Soliciting feedback from local groups & their networks. ACTION: All

to do

c. National Dissent network mechanisms: publicising on the relevant

email lists and websites, including setting up structures to

facilitate this. It was agreed to set up a Working Group email list

(EndlessDialogue@Riseup.Net) to be low volume and focus only on the

process of dealing with and also a feedback email

G8Feedback@activix.org

ACTION: Max to create both emails and sort publishing on Dissent

website and email lists such as ResistG8, including introduction to

the working group. UPDATES: feedback email now created -

g8feedback@aktivix.org

B. Through the G8 itself via the convergence spaces.

Feedback mechanisms to be created at these advertising post-G8 events

and the feedback email and to collect general feedback on the future

of the network & how the mobilization went.

ACTION: Matt to create feedback form

NOTE: it was not discussed how these were to be collated.

2. That a flyer was needed to advertise post-G8 events which would be

ready for distribution at the G8 actions and convergence spaces.

ACTION: Matt, V & Z to do; to include Welsh & Notts gathering, EF

Gathering, Freedom To Protest conference. Also to be made into a

poster and put on website (WHO WILL DO?)

3. It was recognised that once the G8 was held that the website would

become dated. Also that the Dissent logo would need to change if the

Dissent network was going to continue post-G8.

ACTION: V to talk to website people regarding post-G8 holding pages

about this

4.Nottingham Gathering; 30th & 31st July

a. not a decision making meeting; it's main purpose will be to

debrief and to gauge opinion on whether further processes are needed

or welcome.

b. recognised that many people will be away in the aftermath of the

G8 so that this meeting will not be attended by many of the

interested parties.

c. the meeting will decide will if it is worth going ahead with a

large gathering in September and what this gathering will be mandated

to do (eg, discuss the future of the Dissent network, capitalising on

the energy around the mobilisation, looking at where the protest

movement is now, etc).

5. September Gathering

a. If the initial feedback from pre and during the G8 discussions is

for the most part positive then we should initiate looking at doing a

gathering in September for the Dissent network on where do we go from

here. This will still be depended on getting a formal mandate from

the Nottingham meeting.

b. The format of this gathering will be established by the Nottingham

gathering and based on the collated feedback. However, it is

anticipated that the agenda will include a general debrief, a

reaching out to other groups outside the Dissent network and also

emphasis on empowering new activists brought into the various

networks/movements through the G8 mobilisation.

6. Other points noted

a. Need to approach feedback with enthusiasm and to encourage people

to start thinking about post-G8 issues.

b. Need to address geographical and local issues within the general

activists networks (eg, why people based in the south have such

problems travelling north, but expect those from the north to come

south for them).

c. Need to build on the energy around the mobilisation, in particular

empowering the new people brought in through it, especially those who

have been inspired to become far more active as campaigners including

taking part in the process practically.

Safe Space policy

Welcome group having a delegated space on spokes council.

Continuation of convergence focused logistics discussion on Sat

Proposal

–Morning meeting - barrio wide to discuss logistics issues within barrio. - selective minute taking (only report back stuff that is really useful)

–Followed by site wide logistics meeting – 2 reps from each Barrio plus relevant WG reps – other orgs on the site will also have to be represented

–Evening meeting – dissent zone wide though other interested people are welcome – aim of meeting to report on activities of the day and to discuss action proposal type stuff – spokes council model with people representing barrios/action groups. Groups like legal group should be represented as info about this type of stuff is needed by them.

–Some sort of dissemination system through notice boards in barrios or newsletter – passed to communications group.

(No reason why ad hoc meetings can't happen as well)

issues:

– how to tackle informal hierarchy

- how to make sure other organisations on the site do their share of the work – structure for integrating them into the working groups

- language issues and translation

- how to make decisions across the different convergence spaces

Funding Meeting Minutes

Nottingham Sunday May 22nd

At the beginning of the meeting, we had: £37,000

We agreed to allocate immediately:

Rural convergence: £15,000

Urban convergence: £13,000

Communications: £2,000

Transport (for the transport of people): £3,600

Cre8 Summat: £750

Kaos Kaff: £750

Dissent! Office Space: £500

Post-G8 Support: £1,000

Total: £36,600

Dissent! still needs to raise money to fund the following:

Trauma: £1,000

Medics: £1,000

Media: £500

Kaos Kaff: £750

Transport of equipment (marquees etc…): £3,500

Legal: £2,000

Miscellaneous: £1,000

Total: £9,750

Note: We know that some of this money is coming in, but groups really need to work on raising this money URGENTLY!

The next Funding/Budget meeting will be on 4th June somewhere in Scotland.

In order to maintain accountability/transparency, groups are being asked to keep records and receipts.