Climate change protesters to pitch tents in London

The Economic Times , Friday, August 28, 2009
Correspondent : REUTERS
LONDON: Environmentalists demanding an overhaul of the world economy to help save the planet met in London on Wednesday for a week-long camp, one of the biggest tests of the capital's police since the G20 demonstrations.

While the event got off to a quiet start, organisers said they may take direct action against the government, companies and financial institutions they blame for failing to do enough to tackle global warming. That could mean protesters occupying offices, locking themselves to buildings or blocking roads, according to Climate Camp spokesman Kevin Smith.

"I would be very surprised if someone didn't superglue themselves to something," he said. "We are saying we can't maintain economic growth and deal with climate change." They hope to raise pressure on politicians before crucial international climate change talks in Denmark in December. Several hundred protesters met at six locations across London, including the Bank of England, to wait for the site's address. It was kept secret to avoid alerting the police. They later headed for the campsite on Blackheath, a park two miles south of the Canary Wharf financial district.

SOLAR SHOWERS, COMPOST TOILETS

The Climate Camp will have solar-heated showers, compost toilets, kitchens and a children's play area, organisers said. Legal experts will be on hand to give protesters advice on dealing with the police and taking direct action.

Daily workshops will teach people about global warming, economics and protesting, as well as yoga and meditation. Police kept a low profile at the central bank, where about 100 protesters with backpacks and tents chatted in small groups or sat quietly on the steps of the Royal Exchange, an upmarket shopping centre. A crowd of about 50 people, some with their faces painted with peace signs, gathered at the London offices of BP Plc.

"We want to send a very clear message to BP: Get the hell out of the tar sands," said magazine editor Jess Worth, 34, referring to a BP project to extract oil from tar sands in Alberta, Canada. The camp will be a challenge for London's police force after it faced heavy criticism for its handling of G20 protests in April, when a newspaper seller died after being shoved by a policeman during a protest near the central bank. About 200 extra officers have been drafted in from across Britain to create a 500-strong force to cover the camp, which police estimate will attract between 1,000 and 1,500 activists.

 
SOURCE : Friday, August 28, 2009
 


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