Civil Society Group Stages First Protest Inside the International Media Center
French HIV/AIDS groups staged an elaborate protest in the G8 International Media Center to highlight the lack of progress by the G8 to deliver on HIV/AIDS pledges. AIDES France, the group responsible for the protests presented their character Miss Promises, which symbolizes the G8’s lack of resources to meet with HIV/AIDS pledges.
Civil Society Analysts were able to speak with the leaders about this protest and their perspectives on the aids agenda at the G8 Summit. The leaders commented by saying that the G8 had not complied with their previous commitments at the Gleneagles Summit, which has caused many deaths and will continue to do so, if the Leaders do not react. When asked about the protest, they responded by saying that this was their prime opportunity to demonstrate their views to an eager press core, but were worried about the reaction of security, and were ultimately glad that security did not interrupt their protest.