Who's protesting at the G7, and why

More than a dozen groups, networks and coalitions are taking part in some way in the anti-G7 demonstrations in Quebec City and outside the summit in La Malbaie, Que.

The activists represent a wide variety of concernsand embrace different types of protest tactics everything from street theatre to confrontation with police.

Here is a look atsome of the key players on the protest scene.

Anti-extractivism

The first major Quebec City demonstrationbegan with a march Thursday evening, attended by many of the anti-G7 groups.

One of the central themes of the march was expected to be opposition to what is sometimes called extractivism, the principle of creating wealth by extracting resources from the environment.

The march is being co-organized by Eau Secours, a non-profit group devoted to protecting waterways, as well as Ni Qubec, ni Canada (Neither Quebec nor Canada), an Indigenous rights group formed around anarchist principles.

Anti-G7 resistance network

Friday is being billed as a "day of disturbance" by the network, which according to its website, activists have been organizing since the fall.

The network has refused to speak to the media, but its communiqusindicate itembraces more militant protest tactics, including civil disobedience.

Its critique of the G7 is based on revolutionary anti-capitalism. Membersreject the possibility that institutions like the G7 can be reformedand believe the seven nations'sole purpose is to extract wealth fromless developed parts of the world.

Alternative G7 forum

A large coalition of groups is behind a series of events that will take around the provincial legislativebuilding on Saturday.

Among the organizers playing a central role are ATTAC-Qubec, which opposes wide-ranging free trade agreements, and the Comit populaire Saint-Jean-Baptiste, a housing rights group based in Quebec City.

They will be joined by a number of Quebec unions and labour federations, including the CSN and FTQ. They're concerned aboutthe erosion of workers' rights, gender equality and cuts to social services.

Human rights groups

More than 40 volunteers with Amnesty International and Quebec's civil rights league, the Ligue des droits et liberts (LDL), will be monitoring the protests and keeping an eye on police behaviour.

The groups say they'reconcerned with a police technique called kettling, in which large groups of protesters are circled and arrested.

Police have also put in place temporary detention facilities in the parking lot of the Victoria police station.

"We're worried because we're told there will be no mass arrests, but the security measures put in place lead us to think there could be a discord between their message and what will happen on the ground," said Genevive Paul, the general manager of Amnesty International for francophone Canada.