EYEWITNESS: Climate Camp Protesters head towards London

by Beaulieu | August 27, 2009 at 04:02 am

505 views | 18 Recommendations | 9 comments

I saw a group of climate camp activists at a peaceful 'Climate Camp protest' in Bishopsgate Street, in the City of London this morning and only two police officers were seen, and they were behaving well (but I kept my camera ready). I took a photo of the scene.

"Last April, with the G20 in town, we pitched tents at the heart of carbon business – the European Climate Exchange. Carbon trading is the main way in which wealthy industrialized countries and companies are avoiding their emissions reduction targets – by trading carbon credits amongst themselves, either between countries, as happens under the Kyoto Protocol, or between companies, as happens under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. Essentially, it’s the way that industry can continue as usual, while encouraging the poor and disadvantaged to sell their rights to pollute – and many of the bankers, corporations and politicians who are dictating these false solutions are here in London".

Protesters also swooped from all over London to Blackheath, a rallying point for popular resistance since the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. They will set up their tents there where in 1381, preacher John Ball gave what was probably the country’s first speech against class oppression. Climate Camp Action takes place from 27 August to 2 September (www.climatecamp.org.uk).

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Amy Judd

at 07:11 on August 27th, 2009

Good for them

Beaulieu

at 09:04 on August 27th, 2009

I told them that too.

theswamme

at 08:13 on August 27th, 2009

The jury is still out on Global warming. The differences in opinion across the Scientific community are so vast. Who do you believe. There are skeptics and Scholars on both sides along with those who believe it is Definately a Man made issue.

My opinion is that it is that the Earth has been thru 100's maybe 1000's of Ice Ages over Millions of years, As recently as a few hundred years ago. How severe and how long they last is the question. Will this be a short one ? Or could this be the Last one ? (I doubt it) They have caused mass Extinction's of Multiple Species. To think that this one will be the last is foolish. It could be the the last one that the Human race gets to experience. The Planet will be here much longer than any of us. It was here before Man and it will probably exist well past our Existance.

We can only put our Faith in God and Hope for the best. Yes, We may make a difference in how We take care of the planet and its resources, and make it as good a place as possible While we are stewards of this great planet. Stewards at most though, We do not control Nature. If it is aNatural occurance it will happen anyway. But to think that we can avoid a Natural occurance, that has ravaged this planet since its existance, is putting way to much faith in how much We as a people can actually affect The Weather.

Beaulieu

at 09:03 on August 27th, 2009

Will be uploading pics very shortly.

Beaulieu

at 12:18 on August 27th, 2009

Climate campers to take lessons in Citizen journalism:

"If police are doing something really stupid and you think they're going to smash your camera, quickly upload the clip remotely on to the internet," said Campbell. "They can confiscate or break your mobile but the film is out there."

Their curriculum included instructions on making audio-slideshows using other people's pictures and, for the more ambitious, a simple explanation of how to turn 15 minutes of raw footage into a three-minute news report. "What will make the difference between you and old media, or dying media," said Hering, "is that they have lighting for indoor shots. So do your interviews outside."

The importance of amateur reporting became apparent at the G20 protests in April, when dozens of cases of alleged police brutality were captured on mobile phones and cameras by protesters and bystanders in the crowd.

With activists unhappy with sites such as Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, which they complain are censorious "corporates", much citizen-generated content at protests is posted on Indymedia, an online forum. A founder of the site, who asked not to be named, said: "The mainstream media has realised the value of reports from people who are participating in an event. It's the power of crowd-sourced information."

Beaulieu

at 12:28 on August 27th, 2009

The Great Climate Swoop 17-18 October

This is the weekend of the Great Climate Swoop, a mass blockade of one of the UK’s biggest coal fired power stations.

Beaulieu

at 12:33 on August 27th, 2009

Climate Camp Reporting:

Bavard not verified (not verified)

at 13:02 on August 27th, 2009

Please tell me that the message on the scan from EccentricEmma is not an indication of the type of person involved in the demo."drinking a delightful voignier then off to climate camp tomorrow!!! so excited!"BTW I spent most of my teenage years in Blackheath and it's just about the most bourgeois and wealthiest parts of southeast London and has been for some time. Any reputation it might have had as a "popular rallying point for resistance" is well and truly a thing of the past. It's a vast beautiful open heath space surrounded by some of the most sumptuous housing around.Sorry forgot to log on.

zhu zhu pets (not verified)

at 04:17 on November 6th, 2009

Content was great and easy to follow. The presentation is good,Very impressive. Good layout that is not cluttered, with a good color scheme. Thanks heaps for all the relevant and helpful information!