by Rochelle Gause

For three days in early June, the leaders from the USA, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Italy, Russia, Japan and Germany gathered for the 33rd G8 Summit in Heilingendamm, a small German resort town on the Baltic Sea.

The G8 was created in 1974 to protect the interests of the world's most wealthy and powerful countries in the face of the oil crises and recession of that time. In the last decade the annual G8 summit has become subject to an increasing number of demonstrations. These protests are a rejection not only of the highly undemocratic nature of the 8 wealthy leaders . . .

June 2: Creative street art and theater was on display everywhere on the first day of demonstrations prior to the G8 Summit. (Photo by Rochelle Gause)

G8: Numerous protest clowns were on hand to reduce tension on Migration Action Day, June 4. (Photo Rochelle Gause)

June 6, Opening Day of the G8 Summit: Demonstrators walked for miles through fields and forests in a decentralized manner, making it impossible for police to prevent everyone from reaching the four blockade destinations. (Photo by Rochelle Gause)

G8: Each affinity group had chosen a color and at the start of the event, as the police lined the street to block the demonstration, one of the five colors, led by a flag, headed directly into the waist high wheat fields. (Photo by Rochelle Gause)

G8: The police clearly felt overwhelmed and unsure of how to proceed as demonstrators walked right into the "No Demonstration Zone." (Photo by Rochelle Gause)

G8: Helicopters buzzed overhead quite low and brought police reinforcements. Nevertheless, three groups who numbered over 10,000 proceeded towards the fence. By late afternoon all four entrances were blockaded, including the train track that was to bring in the mainstream press to cover the opening evening event. (Photo by Rochelle Gause)

A successful blockade! Once demonstrators had taken over the street, it was announced that all four roads leading into the fence were blocked by demonstrators. Delegates and journalists were advised to stay in their hotel rooms during the opening of the G8 summit. (Photo by Rochelle Gause)