G8 Communications
After discussion with other local anarchists and activists interested in organising the Anti-G8 activities, and after considerable research on the web, the following points and suggestions were made.
SCANNERS
A shortwave radio has been procured, it will cover about half of German police frequencies, those between 140-180 UHF. The rest of German frequencies appear to be lower than most scanner ranges and can be blocked with a very simple jammer, possibly a single crystal oscillator, this would be short range. We are not sure about this, more info from electrical geniuses gratefully received. We need a German speaker to operate the scanner.
FUNDING
We are arranging a couple of benefit gigs to raise money for communications, a grindcore gig on or about April the 19th, and a folk gig at a later date. This will buy walkie-talkies from Aldi, and clean sim cards. Though as I will get to, mobile phones may be useless. We need one W-T per affinity group I would suggest.
TACTICS
I recommend the following sources for further information on what we face in Germany, libcom.org “Guide to Public Order Situations” and ” Police Tactics”.
There are things that can be done with phones that cannot be done with radios, but it is likely all mobile phones will be jammed in the area, they did this in Genoa.
With mobiles we can take pictures to send to other mobiles, possibly even media links as things happen, this may also reduce police temptation to use violence and allow others to see what situation is developing and respond. People need to know how to use their phones and that, when looking at police presence on a mobile phone it looks like there’s a lot less than there is if you don’t count them.
People with radios/phones need to be posted at strategic points to protect us from being hemmed in and made useless.
We need people watching out for police lines being drawn amongst us to hem us in. One person per affinity group should be in charge of this.
The police may form snatch squads, usually 10 or so well tarted-up cops . They will be pointing out someone to be snatched, the police lines will open to let them through, 5 to get the person 5 to give beating to anyone interfereing. We need to use our communications to prevent this, the person with a radio within each affinity group needs to be aware of this and have people to call on to help. We should also constantly be looking to regroup and not loose stragglers.
Snow ploughs made from banners and human bodies should be especially careful of communications people being snatched.
Those on communications need to be alert to any police lines forming amongst us.
LOUDSPEAKERS
Anyone using a loudspeaker to communicate is going to be immediately signalled out.
WALKIE-TALKIES
Walkie-talkies can be purchased from Aldis with a half-kilometre range, you can change channel if attempts are made to block them.