During the climate summit in Copenhagen, more than 2000 people were arrested preventively and held in custody while they were trying to have their voices heard. These people along with thousands of other people from around the world were trying to set a different and more just political agenda in the climate debate. Climate Justice Action, a global network of social movements and groups, was mobilizing and calling for a protest and people’s assembly to challenge the farcical political negotiations at the COP15. They demanded just solutions to the climate crisis, solutions that do not only favor the rich western world. On the 16th of December the CJA network organized the Reclaim Power – Push for Climate Justice action, to give a voice to those people marginalized by the negotiations and most affected by climate change.
This emerging climate justice movement was met with severe repression and an abuse of power from the Danish government. This was reflected in the form of massive detainment of protesters and targeting of alleged organizers of legal demonstrations. During 2009 the Danish government and the Danish police carried out an intense scare campaign in the media to demonize protesters and activists. Police were given extra legal powers and economic resources for the COP 15. This led to thousands of preventive arrests, month-long surveillance of telephones, raids of private homes and accommodations and grotesque and unnecessary detentions. Stine Gry and Tannie acted as spokespersons for CJA in the media during the whole COP period, arguing for the right to protest and against the massive police repression. They are now both being held personally responsible for the Reclaim Power – Push for Climate Justice action, and are facing charges including planning violence against police, gross vandalism, serious disturbance of public peace and order, and trespassing. Some of these charges are drawn from the Danish terror package and the penalties are strengthened by the new Danish anti-protester laws introduced just prior to the COP 15.
The main evidence against Stine Gry and Tannie is that they allegedly shouted “push” from the sound truck during the demonstration on the 16th, along with thousands of other protestors. The truth is, we all shouted “push!” on the 16th, and we all pushed together for climate justice on that day.
Solidarity Demonstration in Copenhagen
On the 29th of September there will be a solidarity demonstration in Copenhagen starting at 17:00 at Gammeltorv, in support of Stine Gry Jonassen and Tannie Nyboe, two spokespersons for the Climate Justice Action network (CJA) who will go on trial the 6th of October. They are accused of ‘organizing’ the Reclaim Power – Push for Climate Justice demonstration on the 16th of December in Copenhagen. We call out for everyone to act in solidarity on the 29th of September through demonstrations and statements of support and solidarity, including demonstrations and manifestations outside Danish embassies, demanding that the charges be dropped against Stine and Tannie. You can contribute with a picture on online solidarity at: www.climatecollective.org/push
Call for actions
Through this trial the Danish state is trying to make two individuals responsible for a whole movement’s collective decision-making and collective protests. This is clearly an attempt to scare people from protesting and organizing politically, killing off all critical voices. It is a violation of the freedom of speech and our right to assembly. The right to protest and everyone’s right to be heard is an essential element in a democracy, even if you are speaking against the existing capitalist system. We therefore call on everyone to show solidarity with the accused on the 29th of September and make criticism of this ongoing repression visible.
To highlight the absurdity in the charges, we encourage people to take actions using the slogan “we also shouted push!”. Post your photos www.climatecollective.org/push and send your videos of solidarity actions to the climate collective (cop15repression@climatecollective.org), and let us know any information of actions that happen.
In Solidarity – The Climate Collective
We also shouted push: www.climatecollective.org/push
email: cop15repression@climatecollective.org
The trial dates of Stine Gry Jonassen and Tannie Nyboe are the 6th, 27th and 28th of October, but additional court days might be necessary.
