Text: Since the first of January of 1995 Sweden is a member of the European Union, EU. The member states in the EU are presidents of the union half-year each according to a shifting schedule. The first half year of 2001, it was Sweden’s turn. This period ended in June with a top-summit at Svenska mässan (The Swedish fair) in Gothenburg. This is the way we do it in Gothenburg Voice: The police has come to take us away from our camping which is outside of the boundaries. We don't see much result of EU' s investments in the environment, since they're at the same time considering that trade and transports between the countries must increase. EU builds walls toward the rest of the world which means that the flight companies are the ones to decide whether a person has the right to ask for asylum or not. I think a lot of people are frustrated and angry. We try to attract these people and bring politics into their lives, encourage them not to be afraid of politics. Text: During one week before the EU summit, the non-violence network of Gothenburg was camping outside the Swedish fair. They wanted their protests to be visible to the delegates. The 12 of June they are brought away and taken under police-care. Hvitfeldtska Gymnasiet 14 of June Voices -Move! Take it of! A bit harder on these ones! Harder! They have masks and shit like that! -Ugly bastards! Shut the fuck up! Look down! Which nationality are you? Dutch?! -Do you have any sharp objects on you? Watch out for this girl' s belt, it has spikes! -Face the wall! Stand up and face the wall! -Yes, can I take the hat of? Simultaneous text: A woman has a camera hidden under her jacket. We hear policemen talking. Text: At Hvitfeldtska gymnasiet, the council had arranged accommodation for hundreds of young people. At 11pm there is supposed to be an information- meeting with the agenda of all activities for the coming days. Amongst other things, city- maps are supposed to be distributed. The meeting never takes place. The police surrounds the school with containers and nobody is allowed in or out. Voice: -Everybody wanted to get out of there to be able to join the demonstrations against Bush. Suddenly the police were all around the school. We didn't get any kind of information about what was going on. Text: The police forced away the people that had gathered outside the school. Voice: -We are standing outside Hvitfeldstska gymnasiet. -Why? -Because the head officer has decided so. -Can I ask why? -I got orders to do it! That’s how simple it is! Speaker : -We really want you to come and show solidarity with the people inside the school. There is no danger, you can just go there and stand outside the fences to show your disagreement with the police attitude. Text: Speaker at "Fritt Forum", festival of the free word. Voices: What is he saying about Swedish democracy? This is pure fascism! Nobody would have thrown stones at you if you didn't surround them. I am against violence but...cut it of now! Simultaneous text: People are gathering in Vasaparken, close to the school. Voice: There are double police-lines outside the school, lots of people have broken arms and are bitten in their faces by dogs. We don' t see any of this in the media because we journalists are not allowed inside. Afternoon 14 June Voices: -We are going to take our pants off and show our asses to Bush! -I came here to show what I stand for. -I'm glad to see so much people here. -I will demonstrate against Bush’s visit in Gothenburg.- Why? -Because I am against his politics. -Both what he does in the states and what he spreads over the rest of the world. I'm here to show my disagreement. Simultaneous text: 14th of June president George W Bush arrives in Gothenburg. It is the first time ever that a present American president visits Sweden. -Our protest shows very clear how we feel about him. Text: In the afternoon thousands of people are gathering to "moone" outside the hotel where Bush is supposed to stay. Policeman Voice: -This is the way we do it in Gothenburg.. -I will continue to act this way, they never will be able to destroy us. Never! -We want to say no to Bush and the whole US imperialism; to the fact that they blockaded the Kyoto treaty and to the way Bush rules the USA. I'm here to say no to EU and to George Bush. I also want to join the seminaries to learn about what’ s happening around the world. I was locked inside at the Whitfeldtska for four, five hours. I just got out of there and went directly to the demonstrations. The police refuses to answer any questions so I still don't know why we were locked up. Text: A demonstration against Bush's visit attracts approximately 15000 people to march together towards Götaplatsen. At the voting in 1994, 44% of the Swedish population were pro joining the EU. 39% percent were against. 17% were neutral or did not vote at all. The pro- EU side promises among other things that Sweden can maintain neutral. During the president-visit, Sweden is offered membership in the DTSI- co-operation, which means that Sweden would be equalised with Nato- countries when it comes to weapon export. Hvitfeldtska Gymnasiet, afternoon. To avoid that anything goes out of hand during the EU summit, the police presents a new strategy. No horses, dogs or riot- gear are to be visible at the demonstrations. Civil- cops in yellow coats, belonging to the so-called contact- group, are supposed to take care of possible conflicts. Voice: -You create terror!! You create fear!! Simultaneous text: Negotiations are being made between the police's contact- group and Tord Björk, representative of the people trapped inside the school. When they just reached a solution, the police head- office declares that the negotiation- mandate of the contact- group has ceased to exist. Voice: -Take it easy! Text: The police raid the school. All inside gets arrested. "The white overalls", an international movement with people dressed in padding aiming to get into the summit, are amongst the arrested ones. Their equipment is confiscated. Voice: -We're only doing our job; what we are told to do. Choir: -Open up Hvidtfeldtska! Voice: -Today hundreds of people have been trapped inside a school, neither them nor us knowing why. Early morning 15 of July. Text: Early on Friday morning, Gothenburg's non- violence network tries to climb their way into the Swedish fair. Voice: -Ok, so your intention is to get in. I don't think they plan to let you stand here.. So what do we do now? -If you could move out of the way, it would be easier.-Why can't they let them have their meeting? -What would they say if I went in to one of their meetings, shouting, messing around? People haven't got anything better to do than to make trouble. They should be working instead! -Our vision is a world where everybody has their say about decisions that concerns them, without having to climb over fences. -That's why we're asking you to OPEN THE GATES! And let us all join! -There is no way, whatsoever, for you to get inside. -Then we want you to pass this paper over to the politicians inside. -There is no way even for me to get in there. -The police helped them over the fence, to avoid that any one would get hurt. -It was nice to see. The activists were calm and tried to maintain a dialogue. It didn’t work out, but it was still a very good effort. They are sane, political and responsible people. Text: Nobody gets in. Nobody gets hurt. Nobody gets arrested. Götaplatsen before noon the 15 of June Voice: -It's very important to remain non-violent. The police is provoking violence, we're not. Simultaneous text: After a demonstration at Götaplatsen a big part of the crowd starts to move in the direction of the Swedish fair. They want their protests to be visible to the EU delegates. Voice (from lady in blue jacket when dog bites): -Damned fascists! Voice: -These stupid police idiots just came up to me and hit me with a baton in the back. I haven't done anything! Text: The police interrupt the demonstration with dogs and horses. They force parts of it down Gothenburg’s mane central-street, Avenyn. Voice: -Quiet! -Be a little bit friendly! -Fuck off !Damned pig! Choir: "No fascists in our streets, with or without uniforms". Text: Here are no policemen. Half a year before Sweden’s leadership in the EU started, the police engaged PR-agency Geelmuynden Kiese to put the police- issue on the political agenda. The goal is to get increased resources. Voice: -The original idea was to keep the demonstrations calm and peaceful. The Bush- demonstration was really peaceful; they didn’t even use horses, which they normally do. -But that was also not shown on the news. -Exactly. I think the present situation is caused by the police’s decision to surround Hvidtfeldtska. I don’t like to demonstrate with this much police around. We can't get inside of Svenska mässan anyway, but couldn't we at least be allowed to demonstrate outside of it? By lobbying and influencing public opinion the state tries to make people think: the more police- the bigger safety. The issue shall be brought into the mantra "health, care and education" Voice: -This is pure polemic. These people must be culturally retarded. There's no point in starting a war. The only acceptable weapon is the word. Capitalistic dictature shows no love but dictates the premises. Policevoice: - They're collecting bags from the toilets. - Shit! - Why are you collecting shit and excrement? What are you gonna do with that? -No, not you but they. - I'm not them. -Yeah and I'm also just myself. I find this no fun at all. - So why are you doing it? -I'm just doing my job, an underpaid job. They decided to close off the fair, I didn't. It's not funny to get hit by stones. I got two on my arms. -Have you ever thought about... - I'm mostly thinking about my kids at home. -Have you ever thought about that you policemen are actually just people fighting other people? –Of course. But we are not here to fight. We were only standing down there and you started to throw rockets and stones at us. - There is no excuse for sabotage! -I'm not defending them. We are against violence. - But the atmosphere seems really tense. -I understand them. The police just went in and divided the demonstration in two, it was extremely violent Of course people get angry! Victoria-bridge after lunchtime 15 of June. Text: None of the people responsible of the sabotage on the Avenue were arrested. Therefore the police closes off a bridge nearby the festival- area "Fritt Forum" where lots of people pass by. Voices: "Free the prisoners" Text: Everyone that happens to be on the bridge at this time gets arrested. Voices: " We can solve things without violence" Boy in red: -It seems like the police have been forcing the demonstration into the festival-area. They stormed and started hitting everyone, like this girl for example, she was just standing over here talking on her phone when the police pressed her down on the ground and beat her all over her arms. -It's a festival in this area, kids eating ice-cream and stuff like that, there are open debates and discussions, workshops, even the liberal youth-party is here. Basically it's a very peaceful area. Voices – "NONVIOLENCE" Guy in white shirt: -Close to here twenty policemen started throwing stones at demonstrators. The demonstrators had no protection. I don't know if anyone got hit ‘cause I ran away. But if you do get a stone in your head, you're dead! Voices: " We have balloons" Friday evening 15 of June. Voice: -We are demonstrating with you to defend the Danish NO to EU Choir: " Smash EU!!" Text: This evening a peaceful demonstration is held, moving from Järntorget towards Gotaplatsen. 15.000- 16.000 people participates Speaker: -EU has chosen the wrong way to solve the problems of this century. Gudrun Schyman, leader of the leftwing party "Vänsterpartiet" in Sweden: -Today we have been demonstrating on the same road that earlier was destroyed by vandals. They sabotaged ruthlessly and tried to stop the necessary discussion concerning the future, which we are having today and tomorrow. Speaker: -EU was supposed to open up Sweden to the rest of the world, remember? Today we are members of an EU, which builds walls towards the rest of the world. Vasaplatsen at evening 15 of June. Text: Hundreds of people are gathering to dance at Vasaplatsen in the centre of Gothenburg. The party is a "Reclaim the street"- arrangement. Already at an early stage the police surrounds the area. The police disconnect the sound- system. They want to stop the party. The EU-delegates, the highest and most powerful government-leaders and politicians in Europe, are right now sitting behind barricades made of containers and policelines at the Swedish Fair. They are being served goose-liver- pâté, asparagus with hollandaise-sauce and roast veal. At the same time as they start eating dessert; liqueur- sorbet with chopped apples in vodka, oatmeal-biscuits and vanilla- ice cream, the police shoots two nineteen-year old boys and one photographer a couple of hundred meters away. Voice: -Fuck! One guy was just shot, I don't believe it! He lied on the ground bleeding. It's so disgusting! Yeah it's for real! They fired several bullets here at Vasaplatsen. I saw this guy collapsing just in front of me!! Text: After the shooting, when the police withdraws, the party continues. -I asked: "Why are you beating people that are just sitting?" He said: "I only follow orders." I asked: "Have you ever thought about were the limit of your morality goes, how far can you go in following orders?" The answer I got was" Are you picking for a fight?" Saturday 16 of June Voice, Girl in green: -The media is triggering the already tensed atmosphere by pictures of riot-cops with guns and masked demonstrators, of course it creates a stronger " Us against them" -feeling, from both sides. Girl in brown: -Media says that only threatened policemen act like this. But the power of the police lies in the fact that they actually can injure people and use their guns. If the police didn't have weapons the whole situation would have been different. The police force their dogs at everyone, even people that are passive. I never believed that this could happen before I saw it today. Text: Saturday morning 20.000 people are demonstrating for another Europe. There is no violence; the police is out of sight. Choir: "No cars on our streets" "Everyone that doesn't jump, likes EU." Angry Gothenburg people with signs: ”What are you doing to our city?” Järntorget at evening 16 of June Text: On Saturday a rumour is spread that one of the shot boys is dead. At the 5 a clock- news, a message is spread concerning a manifestation against police-violence which will be held at Järntorget 7 a'clock the same evening.Without any notice the police suddenly surrounds the square. Voice from girl: -No-one of us wants a fight. Hello? No-one wants a fight. Choir: “No violence! No violence!” text: Everyone is being held arrested at the square. Voice: -This police- force is just a bunch of hormone-filled guys that really wants to use violence, it seems like. Choir: "What have we done ? What have we done?" "Nothing! Nothing!" Text: Masked policemen are filming the arrested people at the square. Girl: -Where are you taking us? Text: Just before midnight the police withdraws Choir: “The victory is ours!” Text: During the EU-top meeting in Gothenburg 1115 persons were arrested, amongst which 1079 were fully innocent of any crime