AUT: (en) May 29th, Dutch free train action stopped in Emmerich (fwd)

[pmargin <pmargin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> (by way of pmargin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Steve Wright))]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 1 Jun 1999 15:03:27 -0400
From: robbel <robbel@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Newsgroups: anet.mail.ainfos-en
Subject: (en) May 29th, Dutch free train action stopped in Emmerich

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Saturday the 29th a group of 80 Dutch radical activists jumped the train
from Amsterdam to Cologne without a ticket. Their demand was free transport
to the demonstration
against the anti-social EU-project in Cologne. The Dutch "Collective
Without Money" states that public transport exists to serve people and not
to make profit.
Free train actions to anti capitalist meetings and demonstrations are
happening a lot in countries like Italy, France and, since recently,
Belgium. The Dutch action was
the first one the Netherlands has seen since the anti nuclear protests in
the early eighties when free trains transported hundreds of thousands to
huge demo's. Getting on
the train went surprisingly easy and the cops were not able to stop the
first 60 activists from entering the train. Afraid for chaos - and delays -
on the train stations
they made a first attempt to separate the first wagon (the one with
activists) in Arnhem. The attempt failed totally since the emergency break
was pulled and people were
forcing their way out of the train - accidentally demolishing an emergency
exit -. The train activists demanded that their colleges from Arnhem could
enter the train and
that the train would  leave for germoney. Both demands were granted by the
cops who were panicking since they couldn't do anything without ca!
using a huge delay for the international train and the other trains passing
through Arnhem station (near the Dutch/German border). In Emmerich
(Germoney) a small  number
of German cops pulled a trick on the Dutch activists separating their wagon
from the rest of the train and moving it outside of the trainstation. The
cops however were
not able to stop the then 80 activists from getting out of the captured
train wagon. The activists were just to late blocking the passage of the
international train to
cologne and saw this train leave before there eyes. The group occupied the
railway tracks and demanded a new train to cologne. The local cops
initially granted this
demand and half an hour later emptied the first wagon of a new train to
cologne. Surprise, surprise the Top of the Cops had decided different. The
train suddenly took of
without the activists, leaving the activists behind with one illusion less
(being able to make deals with cops). One more serious attempt was made to
!
block the next train to cologne but failed because the cops - only
activists and start beating people up. The flew in two huge Chinook
helicopters with more cops and negotiations started again. The cops refused
further travel in Germoney
claiming we had caused them enough shit for one day. The cops said the
group would be send back after an identity check. The activists, tired of
playing for hours a cat
and mouse game with the cops, then demanded a free train back al the way to
Amsterdam and said to the cops they would only go as one group (including
the 7 people who did
not have a passport on them) and only after the had confirmation that the
one guy who got arrested was released. Both demands were answered in a
positive way and the
whole group went back to Arnhem (NL). From their 15 people took a specially
arranged bus to cologne, the rest went directly home.

For a first free train action it all went quit well and, although we lost
the demo, we were part of a strong action and all had a good time. Most of
all, we learned a lot
for our campaign to have free trains and we are positive that the Dutch
railway company eventually will understand that it is better to come to an
understanding with us,
like the Railway companies did in Italy, France and Belgium.
The next train action will be on June the 18th from Amsterdam to Cologne,
returning the 19th. On this day free train actions are alos planed from
Italy, France, Belgium
and Great Britain.
Lets Reclaim The Trains!!!

Collective Without Money



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