1. The G20 has historically been a meeting of bankers and finance ministers. Indeed, it wasn’t until 2008 that the first summit was held in Washington, DC as the global financial crisis pressed world leaders to at least make it look like they cared about the fate of millions. Today, the G20 is basically a vapid soiree where the G7 and BRICS nations shake hands, smile for the camera, take in a concert and essentially change nothing but time zones. Meanwhile in the streets, people stand, sit, march and riot. This year in Hamburg was no exception. Known for being a radical city, organizers in Hamburg launched a series of actions and events – from migrant rights marches to sit-ins and blockades. Police planned and dressed for doomsday – acting violently and without provocation. Many protestors responded with waves of property destruction. This report looks at the history of the G20 and the events from the streets including diversity of tactics.
2. Camp White Pine is a forest defense camp currently engaging in a large scale tree-sit in central Pennsylvania in order to combat the Mariner East 2 Pipeline. This 350+ mile long proposed pipeline would carry natural gas liquids through Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania to an export facility on the east coast. Although the camp was founded in February 2017, Elise Gerhart and her family have been battling Sunoco since 2015. Owned by parent company Energy Transfer Partners (the same company that owns and operates the Dakota Access Pipeline), Sunoco has already used the legal system to come down hard on activists protecting their land and resources from this dirty energy project. Elise Gerhart and fellow pipeline resistor Dan join us to talk about their work, what they’re up against and the importance of solidarity.