Preparing for a warm winter in Copenhagen: A guide to the COP15 protests
Last Hours | 17.11.2009 17:55 | COP15 Climate Summit 2009 | Climate Chaos | Social Struggles | World
Read the article at 
http://www.lasthours.org.uk/articles/preparing-for-a-warm-winter-in-copenhagen-a-guide-to-the-cop15-protests/ for links and image
This December the United Nations Climate Change Conference or COP15 will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark. Those organising the conference claim it aims to be a step towards the building of a ‘new global climate treaty’ in an attempt to tackle climate change.
http://www.lasthours.org.uk/articles/preparing-for-a-warm-winter-in-copenhagen-a-guide-to-the-cop15-protests/ for links and image This December the United Nations Climate Change Conference or COP15 will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark. Those organising the conference claim it aims to be a step towards the building of a ‘new global climate treaty’ in an attempt to tackle climate change.
But many feel that this meeting is a sham, created to prop up existing systems that promote, not hinder climate change. Propaganda to back this up is already pouring out of the COP15 website which in a recently published article dubbed Britain, France, Germany, Greece and Sweden as ‘climate heroes’.
Many groups and individuals have spent the last year and a half organising against COP15. This will culminate in several days of protest during the conference. The protests, organised by a wide network under a loose banner of ‘Climate Justice Action’ focus on many climate related issues including production, anti-corporate action and industrial agriculture.
Copenhagen has seen several mass protests in recent years, notably in 2008 after authorities evicted the Ungdomshuset squatted social centre. Read more at http://www.lasthours.org.uk/news/riots-in-copenhagen/
Who’s who?
What is COP15?
COP15 is the name given to the United Nations Climate Change Conference taking place between the 7th and 18th of December in the city of Copenhagen, Denmark. Officials from almost 200 countries are expected to attend as well as representatives from other organisations and NGOs. The aim is to establish a ‘global climate agreement for the period from 2012′. The conference is sponsored by corporations such as BMW, Honda and Volvo.
Who are Climate Justice Action?
Climate Justice Action (CJA) is a broad network people and groups mobilizing to take action against Climate Change. The group includes NGOs and charitable organisations as well as more grassroots groups. All are operating under a united set of network goals and principles. For more information on CJA or to read the network principles visit http://www.climate-justice-
action.org/about/about-cja/
Never Trust A COP
More explicitly anti-capitalist organising is also taking place. A network titled Never Trust A COP was formed in April 2009. The network includes people from the radical left, anarchists and ‘groups based on consensus decision making’. The network have called for an anti-capitalist block on December 12th’s mass demonstration as well as participation in the action on December 13th (see below). A longer text from NTAC which outlines the need for anti-capitalist action can be read here.
What’s happening?
November 30th – Pre-Copenhagen day of action
Ten year to this date anti-globalisation protests crippled the city of Seattle in the USA. The protests shut down the World Trade Organization (WTO) meetings taking place there. In London thousands of people took part in a Reclaim the Streets protest. A police observation van was set on fire, and luggage trolleys where used as battering rams against police lines.
To mark the date a global day of action has been called in opposition to climate change.
December 11th
As part of the COP15 a ‘Global Business Day’ is taking place. Organised by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the International Chamber of Commerce the meeting provides an opportunity for commercial interest to have its say in the negotiations. “Corporate leaders and lobby groups get unhindered access to the decision makers- as if they don’t have enough influence already!” (CJA website). As a result a day of anti-corporate action has been called for on this date.
December 12th
Mass demonstration starting from Danish parliament. Different groups will head off in different directions across the city. Anti-capitalist block on the mass demonstration will head to the Bella Center, the venue of the COP15 summit.
December 13th
Hit the production! – Target symbols of capitalism. Affinity groups are being encouraged to take action in Copenhagen and across the globe. As well as this a blockade of Copenhagen harbour will take place. ‘The harbour is a key symbol of the global free-market economy. Here becomes visible what is usually hidden: ecological deterioration, economic and social exploitation, and utter injustice.’ (CJA website)
December 15th
An attempt is planned to take over the conference through non-violent means. In the event that the space should be taken a ‘People’s Summit for Climate Justice’ will be set up.
December 18th
The last day of the conference.
Both Climate Justice Action and Never Trust A COP offer logistical information from their websites. The UK based group Camp for Climate Action have organised coaches to Copenhagen for the protests. You can find more information on this at http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/actions/copenhagen-2009/coaches
Many groups and individuals have spent the last year and a half organising against COP15. This will culminate in several days of protest during the conference. The protests, organised by a wide network under a loose banner of ‘Climate Justice Action’ focus on many climate related issues including production, anti-corporate action and industrial agriculture.
Copenhagen has seen several mass protests in recent years, notably in 2008 after authorities evicted the Ungdomshuset squatted social centre. Read more at
http://www.lasthours.org.uk/news/riots-in-copenhagen/ Who’s who?
What is COP15?
COP15 is the name given to the United Nations Climate Change Conference taking place between the 7th and 18th of December in the city of Copenhagen, Denmark. Officials from almost 200 countries are expected to attend as well as representatives from other organisations and NGOs. The aim is to establish a ‘global climate agreement for the period from 2012′. The conference is sponsored by corporations such as BMW, Honda and Volvo.
Who are Climate Justice Action?
Climate Justice Action (CJA) is a broad network people and groups mobilizing to take action against Climate Change. The group includes NGOs and charitable organisations as well as more grassroots groups. All are operating under a united set of network goals and principles. For more information on CJA or to read the network principles visit
http://www.climate-justice- action.org/about/about-cja/
Never Trust A COP
More explicitly anti-capitalist organising is also taking place. A network titled Never Trust A COP was formed in April 2009. The network includes people from the radical left, anarchists and ‘groups based on consensus decision making’. The network have called for an anti-capitalist block on December 12th’s mass demonstration as well as participation in the action on December 13th (see below). A longer text from NTAC which outlines the need for anti-capitalist action can be read here.
What’s happening?
November 30th – Pre-Copenhagen day of action
Ten year to this date anti-globalisation protests crippled the city of Seattle in the USA. The protests shut down the World Trade Organization (WTO) meetings taking place there. In London thousands of people took part in a Reclaim the Streets protest. A police observation van was set on fire, and luggage trolleys where used as battering rams against police lines.
To mark the date a global day of action has been called in opposition to climate change.
December 11th
As part of the COP15 a ‘Global Business Day’ is taking place. Organised by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the International Chamber of Commerce the meeting provides an opportunity for commercial interest to have its say in the negotiations. “Corporate leaders and lobby groups get unhindered access to the decision makers- as if they don’t have enough influence already!” (CJA website). As a result a day of anti-corporate action has been called for on this date.
December 12th
Mass demonstration starting from Danish parliament. Different groups will head off in different directions across the city. Anti-capitalist block on the mass demonstration will head to the Bella Center, the venue of the COP15 summit.
December 13th
Hit the production! – Target symbols of capitalism. Affinity groups are being encouraged to take action in Copenhagen and across the globe. As well as this a blockade of Copenhagen harbour will take place. ‘The harbour is a key symbol of the global free-market economy. Here becomes visible what is usually hidden: ecological deterioration, economic and social exploitation, and utter injustice.’ (CJA website)
December 15th
An attempt is planned to take over the conference through non-violent means. In the event that the space should be taken a ‘People’s Summit for Climate Justice’ will be set up.
December 18th
The last day of the conference.
Both Climate Justice Action and Never Trust A COP offer logistical information from their websites. The UK based group Camp for Climate Action have organised coaches to Copenhagen for the protests. You can find more information on this at
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/actions/copenhagen-2009/coaches
Last Hours
Homepage:
http://www.lasthours.org.uk
Comments
Hide the following 7 comments
corrections
17.11.2009 19:46
Also:
-Dec 14th is a No Borders day of action
-Dec 15th is a food-related day of action
k1
more additions
17.11.2009 20:09
stayathomer
Homepage:
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports
One more addition/correction
17.11.2009 20:47
Get heard not herded!
By accepting the form of protest designed to them by the state and leaving the city to march to the COP15 summit center on December 12th, the reformists are helping create undeserved legitimacy for a failed system.
In the barren fields around the center the voices of protest will fall only on the deaf ears of bought out politicians and corrupt officials.
You have a choice! Make your voice heard - refuse to be herded. Stay in the city. Choose your own space and way of protest. We need all forms of action to achieve real change.
Power to the people!
it wasn't me
Homepage:
http://www.nevertrustacop.org
Sorry
18.11.2009 14:26
Last Hours
Homepage:
http://www.lasthours.org.uk
Include measures against police state buildup
18.11.2009 14:52
If you can make an international scandal out of this, they deserve it.
They will tighten border controls and are changing the law to crack down on any kind of civil disturbance.
At the border you must not "look like" a protester, otherwise you will be turned back.Groups traveling in buses risk being turned back.It is safer to travel individually and have an alibi -some other pretext for where you are going.
The "security architecture" of crackdown on civilian dissent is under implementation.
this means that you must make special efforts to maintain communications and get the message across -
For European police repression, see:
and:
"In the numerous directives, bilateral agreements and treaties, of the past few years concerted measures for "Europe as an area of freedom, security and justice", are long ago brought into position against anti-communist resistance and radical projects and movements are covered with investigations and prosecutions for "terrorism". "Joint investigation teams" research - supported by Europol - international networks. Manuals and databases on "Troublemakers" will be bring protests at major international events under control.
Resistance against the increase in surveillance and control, against repression and anti-riot is still stuck too much often on a national level.
Therefore we call to push the development of a transnational struggle against the "security architecture", in 2009 at several cross-border mobilizations, whether they are timbered by the NATO, G8 or EU.
Protest by NGOs over the present danish bill:
"It's deeply worrying that a new law proposed by the Danish government, to come into force just days before the start of negotiations, seeks to extend police powers for arresting protesters. The law would allow police the power to pre-emptively detain people for 12 hours when no crime has been committed, and raise fines for failing to disperse from a demonstration to more than £350. The police in the UK have come under unprecedented criticism for their disproportionate policing of protest."
"Justice Minister Brian Mikkelsen said people inhibiting police work would be sentenced to 40 days in prison instead of just getting a fine.
The Liberal-Conservative government's package will almost certainly be implemented, as it has the initial support of both the Danish People's Party and the Social Democrats.
But Stine Gry Jonassen, the spokesperson for Climate Justice Action, said the move was an unnecessary provocation.
‘They're criminalising the global climate movement being created by assuming beforehand it will be violent.'
In addition to the 40-day mandatory jail sentence for hindering police work, the government's proposal plans to include an increase of up to 50 percent prison time over what is presently allowed for vandalism.
All fines related to civil disturbance will be made five times higher than the current allowable amounts - up to 5000 kroner.
The civil disobedience package will also provide police with more mobile video surveillance equipment to document the reasons for arrests made at COP15.
Many experts have warned that the government's proposal is unlikely to cut down on the number of violent instances by activists at the conference."
Detention facility for mass arrests located:
"Activists have found the place with the police likely will keep activists during COP15. More or less randomly as some activists, some curious containers in front of an industrial building at Vigerslev Station (see map below). Questioned workmen said that the buildings were used by police to the climate summit. Police have proudly proclaimed in the press that countries organize sites that can hold large quantities of arrested activists, but would not say where. With its location in Valby halls are available to police anywhere in the city there were any problems."
Keep informed about police repression and keep in contact with the organising groups.
For the Agenda of the conference, note that especially the drought disaster in Africa which is downplayed by the media here.Agriculture is in danger in Africa, as well as other places.
The police state appatus is connected to NATO, and run by the top of the (in)judiciary,
where a small group of right-wing officials control police, courts and wording of the laws,
and acquits police of oversteps and accidental killings.
All matters regarding foreigners is under control of this group, and in clause 71 of the Constitution, foreigners are exempted from the habeas corpus.
Little-red-riding-hood
little-red-riding-hood
e-mail:
polarbeaver@linuxmail.org
More corrections / additions / links for events
19.11.2009 00:52
you link the NTAC call on 12th but not the main demo on the 12th that CJA has agreed to join as a bloc:
importantly the CJA wording for the Reclaim Power action says to push into the Cop15 _area_ ie as close as possible / fences, but not the conference venue itself.
you should link to the other listings of events out there as they have a few other urls for groups + events:
mr update
Our fate
19.11.2009 13:52
Schreder