In advance of the G8 Justice and Interior Ministers arriving for their summit in Sheffield, protests against their presence started with a Critical Mass at 8:30am (report and video). People started to gather on Devonshire Green at 10:30am for the demonstration called by the Sheffield Stop the War Coalition. Several hundred people then marched through the centre of town on the way to Peace in the Park at the General Cemetery. Lots of information on the G8 was distributed to shoppers in town.
With the fine weather holding out, the 3rd annual Peace in the Park festival was packed. This year it was a benefit for Sheffield Archer Project, a charity providing support for the homeless, and the Intermediate Technology Development Group, an international charity working on practical ways to end poverty for people in need all over the world. Stalls included No Sweat, No2ID and others. Along with an open mic tent and a bands stage there were also tunes from Riddemtion.
The finale of the evening was a performance by the Laboratory of Insurrectionary Imagination which included an appearance from the Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army . A gig from the 2012 show was arranged at the last minute at The Cricketers and this made a nice end of the day for the few who made it.
Further actions against the G8 have been planned for the next few days, expect a heavy police presence...
Peace in the Park
