Protest Danish plans to smash Copenhagen climate protest

Write to the Danish Ambassador or phone or email to protest at the planned repression of climate activists in Copenhagen.

His excellency Birger Riis-Jørgensen
Embassy of Denmark
55 Sloane Street
London SW1X 9SR

Tel: 0044 (0)20 7333 0200
Fax: 0044 (0)20 7333 0270
E-mail: lonamb@um.dk

Her is a letter from my ecosocialist comrade in Copenhagen.


We write to express our concern about the proposed "hoodlum" law which is planned by your government. The bill that will be put before the Danish parliament, in a few weeks, has serious implications for anyone who is intending to demonstrate, or protest in any way, during the COP15 summit in Copenhagen this December.

It is clear from the timing, that your government intends this bill to become law by the time of the summit. We understand that the proposed bill will greatly increase the Police's powers of arrest. Among its main provisions: the extension of the period of "preventative" arrest from six to twelve hours; an increase in maximum sentence for obstructing a police officer of up to fourty days, even for a first offence; as well as a host of measures which greatly increase the penalties for breaking the law regarding public protests. These measures,if approved, will effectively criminalise protests involving any degree of peaceful civil disobedience. At the same time, a climate of fear is being generated by certain elements of the Danish media about the prospect of thousands of climate activists descending on Copenhagen. We think this is no coincidence. It is therefore clear that the law is aimed at the many thousands of climate activists, from all over the globe, who will be coming to Copenhagen. It appears to us that the Danish government and media is hostile to both the protesters and their message. We therefore call upon the Danish government not to persue this legislation and to allow protesters to demonstrate and congregate without police harassment.

Background here