Seven carloads left Chester and environs between 6.00am and 7.30am heading for Stansted and a 3.30pm takeoff, we hoped, for Turin. As the original flight had been for Genoa, we wondered if all would go smoothly. What a time to give up smoking. What a time to give up swearing. But we did all arrive safe and sound, and in the event the flight was almost on time.
Having got to Italy despite the obstacles placed in our way, and gone to our respective hotels, we rose early on Saturday to get the coach. We left Turin (Torino) by coach and whizzed along at Italian speed, then down from the plateau via a series of fantastic twisting bridges and tunnels, and yet more bridges over vertiginous chasms until we reached Genoa (Genova), when we came to a juddering halt in a long queue of coaches undergoing a security check. Finally we were out in the street, and after a long struggle up and down hills and through narrow alleys, dodging the crowds of marchers (Drop the Debt had decided not to march), we made it to San Antonio by the sea's edge, just in time for the end of the main vigil service. Some of us joined in the outdoor vigil, sitting in baking heat, while others went to the Drop the Debt tent to check out action materials and so forth. One young man who was on our coach is said to have gone to realms unknown beyond the famous tent and seen wonders such as Bono and Geldof.
In this photograph our own Anne McCarthy holds centre stage amid some other
famous people, such as Julian Filochowski, CAFOD Director (top left). Those who stayed for the
outdoor vigil heard him and others speak about what was going on at the G8 Summit. It was
already clear that they were not going to drop the debt, but we had not chanted "Cancella il
Debito" in vain, we were heard and seen and were well reported in the press and on radio and TV,
despite the violence in the town centre. We made the point as planned that our protest would
never be anything but peaceful. We kept out of the march, not through timidity but to avoid
getting sucked into violence or being tarred with the same brush as the anarchists. Thousands of
other protesters, especially Italian ones disagreed and marched despite everything. Whether this
was wise or not - it is not for us to judge their motives - most were serious people. Only a
minority were geared up for a fight, especially the 400 or so Black Box anarchists, though there
were also some tough looking guys among the ordinary marchers who might have joined in just for
the hell of it, or if they felt provoked by the police. Accounts of the violence vary wildly.
We did meet a few people who had been tear-gassed, and at least one journalist claimed to have
seen Debt campaigners tear-gassed for no reason.
Here we have the Chester banner - the man on the right is actually Romy
Tiongco heavily disguised by his rainbow mask and scarf laden hat. Note the slogans attached
to the church in Italian, English, French and Spanish - I think the hidden one is in German.
The old lady in the right background has a model galleon on top of her head as befitted the town
of Cristoforo Colombo. It was quite clear that the campaign had taken root in Italy. We were
applauded as we chanted Che Vogliamo?/Cancella il Debito/Quando lo Vogliamo?/Ora. Later we were
received civilly by local people who might well have felt a bit annoyed at having their town
taken over. (When we got back to Turin and fell into a simple cafe at midnight, hot and tired,the
owner made us a gift of wine when he found out what we had been up to.) I record this not as
minor detail of anecdotal interest to participants and sympathisers but to show that the word is
still spreading - all over Europe, all over the world : it has now spread so far we can never be
silenced. That's the kind of globalisation I can connect with.
Apart from the heat and perpetual uncertainty about the arrangements, caused by the security situation and escalating chaos, the most difficult part of the day was the long trek to our coach, led by Colin Watson, who had to twist and turn to avoid trouble spots and blocked-off routes. I have to say that many of the party were never scared, just hot and tired and worried about one another's health. Heat-stroke would not have been out of the question, if it were not for the rest stops in shade, and our water supplies. Characteristically more than one of the party voiced aloud the thought that the people we were demonstrating for would have been very glad of our water supplies, and our coach and our hotels. And they are the focus of our campaigning.
Photo world copyright Pat Linsey
The banner again, at the promenade just before we set off on the long trek, a lot of smiles here
and a starring role for one of the nice young people we met - but someone can already see smoke
a couple of miles away to the right, maybe from the by-then burnt out car we passed hours later.
It was a strange day with may varied experiences and perceptions. There was a silent vigil.
Speeches and exhortations to keep going. Heartfelt prayer. Joy to be among fellow spirits and as
you may spot below some music and dancing even. All this and later exhaustion and here and maybe
just a soupcon of fear.
We leave the last word ( or photo actually ) to our colleagues from the South, who are here
drumming up a storm. In the background you may just make out people doing the conga.
