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Climate Camp in the City Ends, Broken by Police

Panda #02 | 02.04.2009 01:19 | G20 London Summit | Climate Chaos

"Street empty. They beat us out and squashed our tents. But oh what a world we created! Shame on the powers that be."
- Climate Camp London

Climate Camp in the City has come to a end as police aggressively cleared protesters from Bishopsgate. Several hours earlier campers agreed to move to the North to shore up their defences, but after heavily provocative policing, people began to try and leave.

Many campers head home with light injuries after a long evening of intimidation and violence from the police. At several points they moved in to snatch individuals from the crowd and sent lines of officers into sitting campers, unprovoked. Rachel C. from Stirling said "the police acted aggressively, goading protesters, but we remained peaceful and the aim remains strong." By 2am their aggressive tactics succeeded with most of the campers doing their best to escape the cordon. Soon after the camp was broken.

Campers claim a victory having held their ground peacefully for so long, serving food, drink, a variety of workshops to the campers, and above all, creating a positive space for change. We also pay homage to the inventor of the pop-up tent, for making today possible.

Photos at  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/04/426033.html

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Comments

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the cops were aggressive long before this

02.04.2009 08:52

around lunch time the TSG moved in to kettle the climate campers, but only a small number (including myself) bothered trying to resist. we managed to hold them off for a short while but without more support from the climate camp people we had no chance.

so while a bunch of us were getting arrested and shoved around, *to help protect them*, the hippies and liberals at the climate camp were just standing around watching us.

where was the fucking solidarity?

...and now you're surprised that the cops got away with booting you all out. i'm afraid i'm not surprised one bit. sorry.

tony


Comment from the police

02.04.2009 10:17

On Wednesday, hundreds of Climate Camp demonstrators - behind direct action protests at Heathrow Airport and power stations in North Yorkshire and Kent - pitched tents in Bishopsgate in the City and said they intended to stay for 24 hours.

But by the evening police started what they described as a "slow dispersal" of those who remained using powers under section 14 of the Public Order Act.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "These people have now been demonstrating for over 12 hours.

"While this has been peaceful, they are being moved because Bishopsgate is a main arterial route."

BBC News
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7978105.stm

Panda #02