BLOGGING THE G-8 SUMMIT

From McClachy Washington Bureau
'The Angel Girls'

By Matthew Schofield

McClatchy Newspapers

6:42 A.M. EDT

After scouting out the road situation last weekend, and being advised by local taxi-drivers that the area was almost impassable yesterday, I'd decided to make my way from a the officially-found hotel outside of Rostock to the International Press Center, from where you can get access to what's happening at the Summit (let's be honest, not a lot beyond photo ops) by bike. The roads were being shut down, I was advised. The bike paths (and bike paths in Germany are extensive) were wide open.

The problem with such advice is that it was coming from people frustrated at the fact that the roads were closed, and idealizing the happy cyclists whizzing around them while they sat idling. What they weren't able to see was that the bike paths were also clogged, and eventually closed. So while it seemed like a happy reporter thing to bike out on a 25 miles trek, it wasn't really a very good idea.

Upside, saw a bit more of the protest tactics than I'd expected. Lot's of tired looking folks, who, in my esitmation, had that “I'd kill for a shower” air about them, tromping through forests and fields, pretty much anywhere to keep away from the police, who were camped out waiting for them on the roads.

Downside, four hours to get to the press center, and by the time I arrived, I was just more annoyed than refreshed. And, of course, bike one way, you bike both. There have been, I would guess, better plans in the history of this profession.

While the official look of the G-8 protesters is probably either the black hoodie (pulled up) and black scarf (covering your mouth and nose), to go with black jeans and boots (or tennis shoes), or the clown makeup, clown clothes (normal sized shoes, though), the best look I've come across belongs to what locals call the “Angel girls” Light summer dresses, paper angel wings on their backs, rimmed in golden glitter, little pipe-cleaner haloes, and bare-foot, with the casual walk of one used to being barefoot. And, to top off this look of innonence (at least in the case of the four seen this morning) a beer held down at their side in one hand, a joint in the other.

6:22 A.M EDT

At every large, organized, media gather, the hosts put together welcome gifts for reporters. Sometimes they're just silly -- squeeze balls, or pins (the Olympic-inspired fad) or company pens.

At the G-8, where the press center overlooks the Baltic Sea (or, in Germany, the East Sea), they played to the beach theme (the press center has a beach, by the way). The local state, Mecklenburg Vorpommern, put together a beach bag, complete with Frisbee (with a G-8 logo), beach towel and local cookies.

Of course, it wouldn't be a German event in 2007 if they didn't add in something to do with Knut, the baby polar bear in Berlin's zoo, and by far the most seen face in German television and newspapers this year. So they tossed in a Knut plush toy.

For journalists not interested in freebies, they offer massages, on the beach, of course.

The best video of the day was the great sea chase. A couple of anti-G-8 protesters in a rubber raft, and trailing a banner saying, “G-8, Act Now” sneaked through to just outside the beach at Heiligendamm (site of the Summit, and today, the all important “family photo” where the leaders get together in a group and look happy to rule the world).

In any case, in a little, admittedly motorized, rubber raft, a group of four or five protesters managed to get inside the most intense security zone in post World War II Germany, then looked to stream by the resort where the leaders are staying trailing their banner. They did this while being chased by a series of security boats, twisting back and forth on a very calm sea, on a beautiful sunny day. Police didn't immediately explain the exact nature of the threat posed by the lone boat (it wasn't armed).

But that goes for much of the cat and mouse game being played between protesters and security forces here (at least 16,000 police, about estimated number of protesters). There has been violence surrounding some of the protests in nearby Rostock, Anarchists, who dress like Ninjas would if Ninjas shopped at Foot Locker (and let's be honest, maybe they do, for all I know) have been throwing rocks and bottles at police.

But in the forest and meadow protests, it's been mostly sit-ins and non-violence.

For the most part, the object of the game is 7.5 mile long, about 100 foot high security fence. The fence is actually a fair bit away from the actual meetings, and sleeping quarters of the G-8 participants.

But police decided to made a six mile buffer zone outside the fence, to keep protesters far away from the fence. And the protesters have made elaborate plans on how to get inside the zone, even to the fence.

As one local, Bernd, who lives inside the security zone noted, in the morning, from his balconey (and with binoculars) he watches protesters crawl through the barley fields towards the 7.5 mile long, and 10 foot tall, security fence.

“And then here come the police, all in green, running through the fields looking for them. It looks like a really involved game of hide and seek.”

Some of the tactics seem a bit ironic: The protesters (pro-environmentalists) cut down trees and placed them across roads to slow down police pursuit. And there were reports Thursday that they'd set some on fire (in the middle of the forest that spreads across the rolling hills hear the sea here.

In the end, for those keeping score, the protesters are probably winning. Despite the massive police presence, protesters by the thousands are making it to the fence. Where they're sitting down, and occasionally chanting or shouting anti-G-8 slogans at the wall of German police.

And the protests have managed to shut down a lot of roads around the area. Truth be told, however, this affects journalists more than summit participants, as world leaders tend to travel by helicopter.