news20091223gdn1

[News] from [guardian.co.uk]

[Environment > Copenhagen Climate change conference 2009]
Jailed Copenhagen protesters face Christmas behind bars
Remaining 16 demonstrators in detention running out of days for Christmas release, despite freeing of high-profile activists
Bibi van der Zee
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 22 December 2009 17.18 GMT Article history

Sixteen demonstrators arrested during the Copenhagen summit face spending Christmas in detention, despite three high-profile activists unexpectedly walking free in recent days.

Stine Gry and Britain Nyboe, who were due to remain in prison until tomorrow, were released today, and Tadzio Mueller was released on the 19 December, raising hopes for the remaining 16. However there has been no indication that the remaining 16 would follow before Christmas.

The freed three, all spokespeople for the Climate Justice Action group, still face charges of violence against police and disrupting the peace. They were arrested during and in the run-up to the Reclaim Power demonstration on 16 December, as activists attempted to get inside the UN talks at the Bella Centre to hold their own alternative summit.

Christine Larsen of Climate Justice Action said: "We're really happy that Tannie [Britain] and Stine have been released, but they still face charges and we are very concerned by the fact that having tried to engage with the police, holding meetings with them and writing an open letter to them about our intentions, they have chosen to arrest the very people who openly criticised the failure of the COP15 process [the climate conference] while expressing our intention to take non-violent direct action. We are also thinking of the climate prisoners who remain in jail."

Another spokesperson for the network of climate activists in Copenhagen was strongly critical of Danish policing tactics. "The Danish government's appallingly disproportionate reaction, the political policing used to jail some 1,800 activists for nothing at all, targeting of media spokespeople, using tear gas, pepper spray, mass cages, baton charges and mass preemptive arrests sets a precedent dangerous not only for Denmark, but for the future of the world," the spokesperson said.

A total of 16 activists remain in prison for their actions during the climate conference, including four Greenpeace activists who disrupted a state banquet with banners reading "Politicians talk, Leaders act". Activist groups, including Greenpeace, have submitted petitions for the release of the prisoners, and have also taken part in demonstrations of solidarity around the world.

Jamie Woolley of Greenpeace said: "While the political leaders who are the perpetrators of real crime in Copenhagen have now fled the country on private jets, the Danish authorities decided to detain, without trial, four peaceful protesters over Christmas.

"The four activists – Juantxo, Joris, Nora, and Christian – were willing to risk jail time to do something about climate change and look forward to presenting their arguments in court. But keeping them apart from their families and loved ones over Christmas and New Year is both inhumane and out of all proportion to what they did."

The Danish police were unavailable for comment.