Civil Society Declares: 'Our Climate, Not Your Business!'
COPENHAGEN - Fed up with the lack of progress in the
climate negotiations, campaigners marched on the Bella Centre. NGOs at
the negotiations staged a walkout to connect with civil society
outside, but police violently broke up this 'people's assembly' and
arrested the ringleaders.
A morning of protest started around 10.30 at the Bella Centre with
a sit-in of ninety members of international environmental NGO Friends
of the Earth (FOE), who despite having access passes to the conference
venue were excluded for security reasons.
COPENHAGEN - Fed up with the lack of progress in the
climate negotiations, campaigners marched on the Bella Centre. NGOs at
the negotiations staged a walkout to connect with civil society
outside, but police violently broke up this 'people's assembly' and
arrested the ringleaders.
A morning of protest started around 10.30 at the Bella Centre with
a sit-in of ninety members of international environmental NGO Friends
of the Earth (FOE), who despite having access passes to the conference
venue were excluded for security reasons.
"This is a militarisation of the conference," said Friends of the
Earth chairmen Nnimmo Bassey. "Copenhagen is a city under siege."
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer, who came to speak to
protesters, admitted that accreditation had been withdrawn because of
indications FoEI would try to break out of the centre to meet
protesters outside.
Just after De Boer agreed to negotiate with the activists, hundreds
of indigenous people marched through the Bella Centre towards the exit
beating drums and chanting "Join the people's assembly!", "Claim power
now!" and "Respect the rights of indigenous people!"
"We demand the rights of indigenous people be respected in this
agreement," said a protester from Mexico, Maria Sanchez from Mexico.
"The Kyoto protocol must be respected and developed nations must lower
their emissions."
Police in riot gear arrived outside the Bella Centre in massive
numbers and prevented the indigenous people from joining the People's
Assembly outside the Bella Centre. The 'people's assembly' was declared
illegal despite having been granted a permit earlier.
Outside, helicopters hovered overhead and wounded cops were carried
away behind the barricades, police stormed the truck from where
organisers were rallying the protesters.
"Come help us now, the police are getting in," screamed one
organiser through the speakers before he was silenced and loaded into a
police van.
The protest caused chaos at the Bella Centre's entrance which was
immediately sealed off for security reasons. Ministers and diplomats
were stuck in the waiting crowd. Journalists rushing to the scene of
the protest were turned away.
Reporter Jose Siles from A-TV in Spain was arrested when he tried to
get inside. "They are hurting me," he cried out in pain when dragged
away by Danish police. "I have done nothing wrong, this is not a
democracy."
Inside the Bella Centre, journalists were barred from covering the ongoing sit-in in an attempt to isolate the protesters.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
COPENHAGEN - Fed up with the lack of progress in the
climate negotiations, campaigners marched on the Bella Centre. NGOs at
the negotiations staged a walkout to connect with civil society
outside, but police violently broke up this 'people's assembly' and
arrested the ringleaders.
A morning of protest started around 10.30 at the Bella Centre with
a sit-in of ninety members of international environmental NGO Friends
of the Earth (FOE), who despite having access passes to the conference
venue were excluded for security reasons.
"This is a militarisation of the conference," said Friends of the
Earth chairmen Nnimmo Bassey. "Copenhagen is a city under siege."
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer, who came to speak to
protesters, admitted that accreditation had been withdrawn because of
indications FoEI would try to break out of the centre to meet
protesters outside.
Just after De Boer agreed to negotiate with the activists, hundreds
of indigenous people marched through the Bella Centre towards the exit
beating drums and chanting "Join the people's assembly!", "Claim power
now!" and "Respect the rights of indigenous people!"
"We demand the rights of indigenous people be respected in this
agreement," said a protester from Mexico, Maria Sanchez from Mexico.
"The Kyoto protocol must be respected and developed nations must lower
their emissions."
Police in riot gear arrived outside the Bella Centre in massive
numbers and prevented the indigenous people from joining the People's
Assembly outside the Bella Centre. The 'people's assembly' was declared
illegal despite having been granted a permit earlier.
Outside, helicopters hovered overhead and wounded cops were carried
away behind the barricades, police stormed the truck from where
organisers were rallying the protesters.
"Come help us now, the police are getting in," screamed one
organiser through the speakers before he was silenced and loaded into a
police van.
The protest caused chaos at the Bella Centre's entrance which was
immediately sealed off for security reasons. Ministers and diplomats
were stuck in the waiting crowd. Journalists rushing to the scene of
the protest were turned away.
Reporter Jose Siles from A-TV in Spain was arrested when he tried to
get inside. "They are hurting me," he cried out in pain when dragged
away by Danish police. "I have done nothing wrong, this is not a
democracy."
Inside the Bella Centre, journalists were barred from covering the ongoing sit-in in an attempt to isolate the protesters.
COPENHAGEN - Fed up with the lack of progress in the
climate negotiations, campaigners marched on the Bella Centre. NGOs at
the negotiations staged a walkout to connect with civil society
outside, but police violently broke up this 'people's assembly' and
arrested the ringleaders.
A morning of protest started around 10.30 at the Bella Centre with
a sit-in of ninety members of international environmental NGO Friends
of the Earth (FOE), who despite having access passes to the conference
venue were excluded for security reasons.
"This is a militarisation of the conference," said Friends of the
Earth chairmen Nnimmo Bassey. "Copenhagen is a city under siege."
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer, who came to speak to
protesters, admitted that accreditation had been withdrawn because of
indications FoEI would try to break out of the centre to meet
protesters outside.
Just after De Boer agreed to negotiate with the activists, hundreds
of indigenous people marched through the Bella Centre towards the exit
beating drums and chanting "Join the people's assembly!", "Claim power
now!" and "Respect the rights of indigenous people!"
"We demand the rights of indigenous people be respected in this
agreement," said a protester from Mexico, Maria Sanchez from Mexico.
"The Kyoto protocol must be respected and developed nations must lower
their emissions."
Police in riot gear arrived outside the Bella Centre in massive
numbers and prevented the indigenous people from joining the People's
Assembly outside the Bella Centre. The 'people's assembly' was declared
illegal despite having been granted a permit earlier.
Outside, helicopters hovered overhead and wounded cops were carried
away behind the barricades, police stormed the truck from where
organisers were rallying the protesters.
"Come help us now, the police are getting in," screamed one
organiser through the speakers before he was silenced and loaded into a
police van.
The protest caused chaos at the Bella Centre's entrance which was
immediately sealed off for security reasons. Ministers and diplomats
were stuck in the waiting crowd. Journalists rushing to the scene of
the protest were turned away.
Reporter Jose Siles from A-TV in Spain was arrested when he tried to
get inside. "They are hurting me," he cried out in pain when dragged
away by Danish police. "I have done nothing wrong, this is not a
democracy."
Inside the Bella Centre, journalists were barred from covering the ongoing sit-in in an attempt to isolate the protesters.