A chronicle of the three days of demonstrations against the G7 summit in Apulia.
The 50th G7 summit, whose presidency this year is italian, took place in Borgo Egnazia, a resort located in Savelletri, Fasano (BR). Many heads of state of countries outside G7 were invited in this circumstance: africans, south americans, and also Pope Francis (is the first time ever for a pope). There has already been lots of news about what has been discussed at the summit; but we ‘ve heard very few things about what happened outside and against this summit.
Campings
There were two separate initiatives which tried to merge in the demonstrations: the GSIM coordination and NoG7 coordination. The first coordination is made of various groups, at the beginning from Apulia and southern Italy, which involved people from other parts of the country and abroad; there are mainly young climate and environmental activists, who focus also on local issues and, in this case, on Apulia who is suffering increasingly for touristification and gentrification: there were well-known groups as Fridays for Future, Extinction Rebellion (XR), Ultima Generazione (Last generation, part of the A22 Network), and local social centers as “Bread & Roses” and ”ex Caserma Liberata di Bari” (Rid former barracks of Bari); the second rounds up older local groups as NoTAP/SNAM Brindisi and local chapters of COBAS (independent italian trade unions): their main topics are war – and consequently peace – and extractivist policies in Apulia.
Differences of age, methods and topics didn’t prevent the demonstrations from happening. The two camps were at the Fattizze D’Arneo in Nardò (LE) and in Ostuni (BR); in these places there were talks, conferences, workshops, cuncurrent to the topics discussed at the official summit, in preparation for the demonstrations.
Security arrangements
A red zone, traffic restrictions and police deployment were set up around Borgo Egnazia for the summit. People going to the campings and their cars were searched, with annoying and often useless waits. This happened because of the current italian mood of repression of dissent, mainly against younger activists fighting for climate, environmental and social justice.
The red zone also affected routines of locals and tourists: indeed, in the restricted area there was also part of the seaside, in a season when the very praised and valued tourism industry would like to profit. In the center of Brindisi the evening of June 13th it was possible to move only on foot, even bicycles were not allowed. Obviously, there were also set up restrictions for sailing. Of course, for the G7 summit it’s right to expect security arrangements: but we cannot deny that they were excessive in relation to the local background, which has been militarized, and to the current political context, in which there are few peaceful demonstrations, and sometimes some act of civil disobedience.
The two suppers
On the first day, June 13th, the representatives of G7 came to Castello Svevo (Suevian Castle) in Brindisi for the opening dinner, so the protesters announced a counter demonstration. During the day there have been many speeches from various activist at the Conferenza internazionale su Energie e Cambiamento Climatico: le lotte (International Conference on Energy and Climate Change: the struggles) at the Media Porto of Viale Commenda; later on the evening people moved to Piazza Vittoria, where there was the Dinner of the Poor, were has been served simple food –frisas, couscous and wine, with other speeches and dances of pizzica.
The wooden Trojan Horse brought from german Debt for Climate activists immediately drew attention: it represents the scam of G7 and its financial institution, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, which with loans and aids in fact brought «50 years of neoliberal counter attack» and «neocolonial dominance and exploitation».
Civil disobedience action
On the second day, the 14th, there was the civil disobedience action set up by XR in front of the Media Centre in Bari. Many activists chained themselves together in front of the gate, others hung a banner saying «G7 partying, 8 billion burning», others beamed with lasers «Our rebellion against your road to extinction» both in italian and english. Some people were dressed as G7 delegates, and stood at the gates covering their eyes, mouth and ears. The action aimed to «bring attention to the fundamental role that medie all over the world have telling» what happens at the G7, above all the lack of action of countries against the climate crisis. The day ended with a gross accident: an activist chained by the neck moved and was sharply pulled by a carabiniere, with the risk of being choked. He fainted and had a hard time trying to breathe for several minutes, so he was aided by an ambulance and taken to the hospital.
Final demonstration
The last day there was the great demonstration in Fasano: in a completely and incomprehensibly locked down town protesters marched, closing this three days of protest. There still was the Trojan horse, welcomed with clamour by the crowd, which began to chant «Ca-val-lo, Ca-val-lo!» (Horse! Horse!). The main topics brought were the ones already recalled in the lats days: environment, war, the genocide ongoing in the Gaza strip; there were many peace and Palestinian flags.
This is what happened in the streets in Apulia: of course we’re not talking about huge crowds, but there is still people who after Covid are trying to create a mobilization with great effort, in a land where because of emigration towards northern Italy or abroad it’s often difficult to find young and dynamic forces.
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I’d like to kindly thank all the people who wanted to tell and provide evidence of their experience in those three days: without them it wouldn’t have been possible to write this article.
Cover image: national demonstration against G7 in Fasano, June 15th
