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Stop Climate Chaos, London, 4th Nov 06 - pics

Simon | 04.11.2006 22:13 | Climate Chaos | London

Members of Swindon Climate Action Network and Friends of the Earth joined today's rally outside the US Embassy with around 20,000 others, before marching to Trafalgar Square to join another 10,000 at the launch of the I-Count campign. Here are some photos. Audio and possibly a video to follow.

Swindon Climate Action Network and Friends of the Earth

Airportwatch

Flood warning

Cut CO2
Cut CO2

Stop Bush drive to climate chaos

Leaving Grosvenor Square

Save our climate

Deforestation for biofuels

We stuff ourselves and the poor get stuffed

We are choking on your fumes

Burn the bosses, not the planet

It's getting hot in here

Cheap flights cost the earth

Climate change - bigger than the war on terror

This is our earth so we look after it

Save Gaia

Let's not be lemmings

Say no 2 more CO2

I-Count rally in Trafalgar Square

Mark Lynas for Prime Minister

The Campaign against Climate Change rally at the beginning was in a similar vein to the one held last December ( see

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/12/329206.html ), with many of the same speakers. Unfortunately I missed all but the last few. George Monbiot was on good form - if nothing else I hope to post the audio of his speech.

By contrast, the rally in Trafalgar Square was less politically charged, verging at times on light entertainment, with a comedian acting as compere, and some band called Razorlight, whose songs seemed to have no bearing on the subject in hand. Almost what I imagine Live8 would have been like. Or maybe I'm getting old.

Trafalgar Square was packed. Once I got in, there was no way I could move again until the rally ended and people started dispersing. I've never seen it like that before.

A new and updated version of Kate Evans' comic "Funny weather we're having at the moment isn't it dear - everything you didn't want to know about climate change but should probably find out" has been released. Get it from Climate Outreach Information Network (

http://www.coinet.org.uk ). See also

http://www.cartoonkate.co.uk/

Simon
Homepage: http://scan.editme.com

Additions

a few more pictures

05.11.2006 03:17

A few more pictures and comments :

http://www.schmoontherun.blogspot.com

schmoo

Some audio and links to more pics

05.11.2006 14:02

Download: George Monbiot's speech (8m 9s) - mp3 957K

Download: Seize the Day - mp3 513K

Here is the speech made by George Monbiot, and a song performed by Seize the Day, both outside the US embassy.

There may be some more audio coming later, and I think a short film is also on the cards.

Also, check out Kriptik's awesome 360 degree photo of the rally in Trafalgar Square at

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/355292.html and more photos from Rikki at

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/355209.html

Simon
Homepage: http://scan.editme.com

Rob Newman's speech (audio)

05.11.2006 18:33

Download: Rob Newman (3m 24s) - mp3 399K

An MP3 file of Rob Newman speaking at the rally in Trafalgar Square, about the Royal Bank of Scotland (aka the Oil and Gas Bank), and Shell's operations in the Niger Delta.

Simon
Homepage: http://scan.editme.com

Here's the film

06.11.2006 00:02

Stop Climate Chaos movie, 9m 2s - video/x-ms-wmv 22M

I made a short movie of this event, and here it is, warts and all.

It consists of George Monbiot's speech, plus a bit of samba, set against the backdrop of images of the protestors and the I-Count movie shown in Trafalgar Square.

Constructive criticism welcome.

Simon
Homepage: http://scan.editme.com

Comments

Hide the following 2 comments

Pointless March

05.11.2006 20:25

What is the point in this march in London? What's it going to achieve marching round the city, herded by police?

If all those hundreds of thousands converged on their local power station, oil company etc a lot more would be achieved. This would a) get across to the power stations that they are one of the main problems -and- b) save on the petrol of hundreds of coaches, cars etc travelling from across the UK to London.

Think tactics, not what some Respect twats tell you to do!

"Words Mean Nothing - Action is EVERYTHING!"

Climate Action NOW!

Make it worthwhile - get active!

08.11.2006 18:29

While marching and listening to celebs _in itself_ achieves very little, if even a few of those '000's found out how to support group taking action against the causes of climate change progess might be made.

The Camp for Climate Action, (

http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/), which received huge coverage of the issues at its summer actions around Drax Power Station in Yorkshire, was just the beginning. It kick started more action, some of which is included below.

Rather than whinging people might post up more examples:

'Plane Stupid', (

http://www.planestupid.com), who recently set up a Climate Camp on the runway at East Midlands Airport, and held a national day of action against short haul flights on November 6th during the UN international climate talks in Nairobi;

No M1 Widening! Campaign, (

http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=590), took part in a co-ordinated banner drop along a length of the M1, alerting the public to the need to resist widening of the M1, which will simply lead to more traffic & more carbon chaos;

Climate Change Campaign Gathering, (

http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=862), is holding a gathering of a coalition of groups from the East of England (North London to the East Midlands; East Coast to Derbyshire) to discuss proactive campaigning against the causes of Climate Change;

Veggies Catering Campaign (

http://www.veggies.org.uk) and Vegan Campaigns (

http://www.vegancampaigns.org.uk/) in London, used the day to raise the profile of the message that 'one of the most important lifestyle changes people can make to stop global warming is to become vegan'. See links at

http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=521

Even Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show, used the march as a 'hook' to cover the subject in detail - what did _you_ do?

Pat @ Veggies

UK Indymedia

Stop Climate Chaos, London, 4th Nov 06 - pics

Additions

a few more pictures

Some audio and links to more pics

Rob Newman's speech (audio)

Here's the film

Comments

Pointless March

Make it worthwhile - get active!

Global IMC Network