Thousands of people participated in nationwide protests against data retention (07.11.2007) |
Press release from 7th November 2007: Protests in more than 40 cities against data retention Editor: Arbeitskreis Vorratsdatenspeicherung The Arbeitskreis Vorratsdatenspeicherung initiated nationwide protests on 6th November in more than 40 cities to stop data retention which is planned by the big coalition. Thousands of people joined the public meetings themed „Freedom instead of fear - for basic liberties!“ all over Germany in spite of the dirty weather. These numerous demonstrations and protests give a clear signal for the adherence to the basic liberties fixed in the German constitution and the ensuring of proportionality in fighting against terrorists and criminals. The nationwide protests aimed at showing the members of the big coalition quite plainly that the Germans do not want the complete storage of electronic communication and a lot of people participated in these untroubled demonstrations to confirm their opinion. The Arbeitskreis Vorratsdatenspeicherung calls on all members of the German parliament to take the majoritarian rejection seriously and avoid that data retention comes true.In the organisers opinion, the protests have been a complete success. In spite of iciness, rainy weather and sometimes very short announcements, thousands of people came together all over Germany. This could be the beginning for a new civil rights movement and a nationwide social discussion about the attainments of our democracy. The Arbeitskreis Vorratsdatenspeicherung will keep on working on it. In Frankfurt on the Main, Munic, Hamburg and many other cities people participated in protests and demonstrations. After statements from representitives of the opposition, the protests in Berlin ended with a spontaneous candle-lit demonstration followed by a picket in front of the Reichstag. People kept silent for a quarter of an hour against the surveillance state in Frankfurt. In Hamburg, participants read out basic liberties written down in the constitution together. On Friday, the 9th November, the bill about data retention will be decided in the Bundestag. The law shall become effective as of 2008 and deals with a remake of tracing telecommunication. Appropriate authorities will be enabled to check who used the internet with which adress and when, who talked to whom by phone and wherefrom and who contacted whom by email for the last six month. This plans about storing information about communication, relations, movement and using public media offend against secrecy of telecommunications and the basic right of informational self-determination and make a free and fearless life impossible. Current information about numbers of participants and details about zhe particular protesst one can find on http://wiki.vorratsdatenspeicherung.de/Pressecenter_aktuell (in German). |