Back for a period because I want to talk about what is occuring here.
It is an absolute fucking disgrace.
In order to protect World leaders and unelected coorporations who are attending the talks for their own self serving needs, any protest not supported by the state (you have to ask permission to protest and if they agree with your point they will let you go ahead - one of their nice little changes to the laws here to support this farce) the police are "premptively" arresting anyone involved in these protests before anything has occured. The arrest and detainment of 968 people on Saturday is an indication of this. Of these 3 people were charged with disorder.
3.
Yet the state and the police try to pass this off as necessary actions in order to avoid disorder. They corralled the back of the larger demonstration into Christmas Møllers platz and charged them, this was a group that included mothers and young children on a peaceful march to the Bella Centre. They then used zip wire on their hands and forced them to sit on the pavement for over 4 hours in 1.5C temperature. They were not informed of anything and were denied access to toilets forcing many to urinate on themselves. Many were then taken to a holding centre in Valby overnight which was basically a massive warehouse with no heating for "processing". All except the 3 released without charge. A friend who lives in Christiania and was by the Medical Centre that has been setup there said many of the people who had been held by police were in an absolute state of shock.
Defending this action because a couple of people threw some rocks at the Danish foreign ministry as the walk passed Christianshavn is offensive. Those that threw rocks and let off fireworks (some news agencies reported that guns were being fired, Absolute fucking bollocks, I was there) were told by the main group to go away. And they did so without further violence.
Sunday evening after arresting everyone (again "premptively") involved in a walk onto the harbour to protest against global trade in Østerbro - 300 people. no charges. The police then raided Christiania that evening, using tear gas and water Cannons on protesters camped there. Arresting hundreds more. With a few people charged with throwing petrol bombs - well there's only so much shit you can take.
Today is the major demonstration at Bella Centre and police have started using pepper spray and baton charges on activists who wish to create a peoples conference within the conference centre as they feel they are been ignored by those inside. This includes many NGO's, friends of the earth, greenpeace and the author Naomi Klein. The group has committed itself to non violent civil disobedience. Last night undercover police arrested the spokesman of Climate Justice Action, the moniker for this collective, again a "preemptive" arrest.
Guests arriving today for the conference include Robert Mugabe and Omar Al-Bashir. Both receiving lavish welcomes from the state and heightened security cordons.
I am deeply saddened to see Denmark slide further down into the authoritarian mire. One of the reasons I left the UK was due to the way the state control in that country was going. Soon there will not be anywhere else left to run. We have moved into an authoritarian nightmare where any dissenting voices are crushed by the state and corporate machine.
The people who care are angry.
