Appendix: original J18 proposal and flyers

A PROPOSAL FOR:
A day of protest, action, and carnival in financial centres across the globe on 18th June 1999.

....Wherever there is oppression there is resistance.....

A proposal has been made by various groups and movements of activists from England to hold an international day of action aimed at the heart of the global economy: the financial centres, banking districts and multinational corporation power bases. The suggested date is the 18th June 1999. Movements involved include Reclaim the Streets (RTS, a popular movement seeking the liberation of city streets and public spaces using direct action, and now Western European Conveners of Peoples' Global Action Against 'Free' Trade and the World Trade Organisation), and London Greenpeace (a group independent of Greenpeace International, recently involved in a large successful battle with McDonald's). This proposal is made in the spirit of strengthening our international networks and follows from the success of co-ordinated global action during May 16-20th 1998. These days saw actions, protests and demonstrations on all continents, for example over 30 'Reclaim the Streets parties' in over 20 countries - a combination of illegal carnival, protest and direct action, catalysed by RTS in London. In Brasilia 50,000 unemployed and landless peasants were on the streets, while in Hyderabad, India, 200,000 were protesting. These events coincided with the 'G8' meeting in Birmingham, Great Britain, and the third ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland. The 'G8' consists of the leaders of the eight most industrialised countries and exists solely to promote economic globalisation, 'free' trade and corporate dominance.

Next year between the 18th-20th June the G8 will meet in Koln, Germany. The idea is to take action around the globe to coincide with this meeting. This also links with the proposed tour of Indian farmers/activists in Europe to campaign against the World Trade Organisation and multinational corporations. The proposal is to encourage as many movements and groups as possible to organise their own autonomous protests or actions, on the same day (June 18th), in the same geographical locations (financial/corporate/banking/business districts) around the world. Events could take place at relevant sites, e.g. multinational company offices, local banks, stock exchanges. Each event would be organised autonomously and co-ordinated in each city or financial district by a variety of movements and groups. It is hoped that a whole range of different groups will take part, including workers, peasants, indigenous peoples, women, students, the landless, environmentalists, unwaged/unemployed and others....everyone who recognises that the global capitalist system, based on the exploitation of people and the planet for the profit of a few, is at the root of our social and ecological troubles.

The proposal has already been discussed by movements and groups on all continents, for example the Karnataka State Farmers (KRRS, India), the Rainbow Keepers (ecologists from ex-USSR states), Proceso de Comunidades Negras (Colombian Black communities movement), Friends of the Earth, Uruguay (Environmentalists), CTERA (Argentinean teachers Union), Reclaim the Streets (New York, USA; Prague, Czech Republic; Sydney, Australia), COMUTRAS (textile workers union, El Salvador), peasant movements in Mozambique and many more. Plans are already well advanced in London, and Koln, Germany.

Ideas are flowing and enthusiasm is growing. We'd very much like to hear what you think.

There is an email discussion list. To subscribe, send an email to [email protected] with the following request:

subscribe J18DISCUSSION Your e-mail address

then messages sent to [email protected] will automatically go to other interested groups around the world to facilitate wider discussion of this proposal. Or write to 'June 18th', PO Box 9656, London, N4 4JY, Great Britain.

OUR RESISTANCE WILL BE AS TRANSNATIONAL AS CAPITAL!

for more information on Peoples' Global Action visit http://www.agp.org

for more information on Reclaim the Streets visit http://www.gn.apc.org/rts/

for more information on London Greenpeace / McLibel visit

http://www.mcspotlight.org

June 18th web-site: http://www.gn.apc.org/june18

PLEASE PASS THIS PROPOSAL ON TO OTHERS.

BLACK LEAFLET TEXT

June18th 1999 International day of action aimed at the heart of the global economy: The financial & banking districts

"The collapse of the global marketplace would be a traumatic event with unimaginable consequences. Yet I find it easier to IMAGINE than the continuation of the current regime." George Soros, speculator and high priest of the markets

IMAGINE

Financial districts across the world filled not with profit and plunder but with the sounds and rhythms of party and pleasure.

IMAGINE

A world where people have control of their own lives and communities

IMAGINE

A society based on mutual aid, sharing and the respect of nature.

IMAGINE

Taking your desires for reality

IMAGINE

The resistance will be as transnational as the capital June 18th 1999 On the eve of the 21st century the list of woes facing us seems greater than ever - economic meltdown, the millennium bug, environmental crisis, war, famine, poverty - all unconnected, we are told by the experts - to be solved only by more 'growth' and 'free' trade. The global market economy however, which had come to be seen as unquestionable dogma, is crumbling. As usual talk of reform is in the air, but a system based on the 'survival of the fittest' and 'growth' can only continue to cause human misery while destroying the ecology of the planet. A new world is possible. A global movement of resistance is rising - people are reclaiming control of their lives. Across the world, social and ecological movements are coming together, talking, taking direct action and enacting radical alternatives to 'globalisation'. In May 1998 their voices were raised during meetings of the G8 world leaders and the World Trade Organisation, when many local actions and demonstrations took place - autonomously organised, yet globally co-ordinated. These ranged from 50,000 landless peasants on the streets of Brasilia, to 30 simultaneous street parties across the globe, to 200,000 people on the streets of Hyderabad in India. Next year the G8 will meet in Koln, Germany, between June 18th-20th. Groups are already organising for actions to happen simultaneously on Friday June 18th in the financial districts, markets and institutions around the world. 'The City' of London is one of the key hubs of the global economy and this will be the main target of UK actions on June 18th. We will only realise our collective visions by taking action together, so June 18th will only work if a whole range of different movements and groups get involved; environmental, workers' women's, unwaged/unemployed, students, trade unionists, peace, pensioners, gay, anti-deportation… the longer the list, the more effective the action.

Involve yourself

Dream up amazing action

Organise local planning meetings or come to the monthly London meeting.

Choose your favourite Transnational Company, Bank or Investment Fund, find out as much as possible about them - location of HQ etc and prepare fun and games.

Spread the word - print leaflets - talk to people - network.

Take a day off work or go sick on 18/6/99

WHAT?

demonstrations, protests, actions, pickets, stunts, shut-downs, sabotage, leafleting, blockades, games, hacktivism, parties & more Simultaneously transforming the city of London and other financial centres across the world

WHY?

IN recognition that the global capitalist system is at the root of our social & ecological troubles

WHEN?

18/6/99 - To Coincide with the annual meeting of the G8 leaders

WHO?

A growing alliance of social and environmental movements "We are more possible than they can powerfully IMAGINE."

Shouted from the top of a crane during an occupation of a building sit, No M11 Link Rd campaign, London, 1994

INTERNATIONAL LEAFLET TEXT

JUNE 18th 1999

A day of international protest, action and carnival aimed at the heart of the global economy, the financial and banking centres across the globe. Activists from diverse groups and movements around the world are discussing, networking and organising for an international day of action aimed at the heart of the global economy: the financial centres, banking districts and multinational corporate power bases. Environmentalists, workers, the unemployed, indigenous peoples, trade unionists, peasants groups, women's networks, the landless, students, peace activists and many more are working together in recognition that the global capitalist system, based on the exploitation of people and the planet for the profit of a few, is at the very root of our social and ecological troubles. The June 18th occupation and transformation of financial districts, simultaneously across the globe, will be a contribution to and practical example of the process of making connections and building alternatives to the present social order. The action is timed to coincide with the first day of the Group of Seven (or G7) summit of the leaders of the richest nation-states - in Koeln, Germany - when again we will be told by the economic and political elites that the promotion of economic globalisation, 'free' trade and corporate dominance is the only way.

This proposal is made in the spirit of strengthening our international networks and follows from the success of co-ordinated global action during May 16-20th 1998. These days saw actions, protests and demonstrations on all continents, for example over 30 'Reclaim the Streets parties' in over 20 countries - a combination of illegal carnival, protest and direct action, catalysed by RECLAIM THE STREETS in London. In Brasilia 50,000 unemployed and landless peasants were on the streets, while in Hyderabad, India, 200,000 were protesting. These events coincided with the 'G8' meeting in Birmingham, Great Britain, and the third ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland. 1999 will see these coordinations increase. Alongside the June 18th global action, there will also be a tour of Indian farmers/activists around Europe to campaign against the World Trade Organisation, banks and multinational corporations. In the spirit of strengthening international networks for equality, freedom and ecological sustainability we encourage all sympathetic movements and groups to organise their own autonomous protests or actions, on the same day - June 18th - in the same locations - financial districts - around the world. Each event would be organised autonomously; could be co-ordinated in each city by a variety of movements and groups; while linked globally by post, telephone, fax, email and international meetings. Strikes, protests, pickets, actions, occupations, street parties, demonstrations, blockades, shutdowns - a unity of diverse events are being planned by a growing network of individuals, groups, movements and alliances. Your participation - no matter how small - is crucial; meetings need to be organised, events planned, leaflets printed and distributed, funds raised, laughter and conversation shared. If we cooperate and co-ordinate we can realise a different world; has it ever been so necessary and so possible?

"By taking direct action, people make connections, they talk and communicate with each other, they break down the isolation and fragmentation of this alienated society. These connections are now spreading across the globe as people realise that their particular local struggles are part of a wider problem - the global economy."

For international planning & discussion, subscribe to the J18 email list -

send an email to: [email protected]

with the following request -Subscribe J18DISCUSSION your email address.

If your group is organizing an EVENT OR ACTION for June 18th PLEASE send your group OR MOVEMENTS contact details to [email protected]

This will allow a global list of groups taking part to be built up. This will be an invaluable resource for everyone taking part to show the quantity and diversity of groups doing actions on June 18th. This information will be put on the web-site and on the j18discussion list.

"the collapse of the global marketplace would be a traumatic event with unimaginable consequences. Yet I find it easier to IMAGINE than the continuation of the present regime." George Soros financial speculator, predator and profiteer.

IMAGINE financial districts across the world filled not with profit and plunder but with the sounds and rhythms of party and pleasure

IMAGINE replacing the existing social order with a free and ecological society based upon mutual aid and voluntary cooperation

IMAGINE taking your desires for reality "If you say the organisation of society and its domination by unaccountable tyrannies, which is what it is, is improper and unjust.. you have to consider what the alternatives are and how you move towards the alternatives... And those are not trivial matters; they require organised popular movements which think things through, which debate, which act, which experiment, which try alternatives, which develop the seeds of the future in the present society"

GOLD LEAFLET TEXT

Game Over

Liverpool St. Station >< City of London, Noon

On June 18th the leaders of the eight most powerful nations will meet for the G8 summit in Cologne, Germany. Their agenda will be the intensification of economic growth, "free" trade and more power for corporations as the only way towards a bright future. But these 'leaders' are not in control... Our planet is actually run by the financial market - a giant video game in which people buy and sell blips on electronic screens, trading life for money in their search for ever-higher profits. Yet the consequences of this frenzied game are very real: human lives, ecosystems, jobs and even entire economies are at the mercy of this reckless global system.

As the economy becomes increasingly global and interdependent those resisting its devastating social and ecological consequences are joining forces. Around the world, the movement grows - from Mexico's Zapatistas, to France's unemployed, to India's small farmers, to those fighting road building in the UK, to anti-oil activists in Nigeria - people are taking direct action and reclaiming their lives from the insane game of the markets. Resistance will converge on June 18th as hundreds of groups simultaneously occupy and transform banking and financial centres across the globe.

If you act like there is no possibility of change for the better, you guarantee that there will be no change for the better.

The choice is ours.

Carn'ival n. 1. An explosion of freedom involving laughter, mockery, dancing, masquerade and revelry. 2. Occupation of the streets in which the symbols and ideals of authority are subverted. 3. When the marginalised take over the centre and create a world turned upside down. 4. You cannot watch carnival, you take part. 5. An unexpected carnival is revolutionary.

Cap'italism n. 1. A system by which the few profit from the exploitation of the many. 2. A mindset addicted to profit, work and debt which values money more than life. 3. An unsustainable ideology obsessed by growth despite our finite planet. 4. The cause of the global, social and ecological crisis. 5. A social system overthrown at the end of the 20th century...

A massive carnival in the world's biggest financial centre - the city of London - will be Reclaim The Streets' part of the day. Let's replace the roar of profit and plunder with the sounds and rhythms of party, carnival and pleasure!

Friday June 18th - An international day of protest, action and carnival aimed at the heart of the global economy: the banking and financial centres.

Reclaim The Streets

Meet 12 noon, Liverpool Street Station, London EC1

Bring a radio and disguise yourself to blend into the City. Office worker or bike courier costumes work best!

Don't play their game, call in sick on Friday June the 18th

Do not underestimate the power of global resistance.