Here is a video about 'the wave', please include it as a feature with your climate change article

 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4689717947890475769&ei=jfcaS8iAPcmb-AbSwqSMCQ&q=the+wave#

Was the Wave sponsored by the Co-operative Group?

Does anyone know if this was the first (environmental) protest with a corporate sponsor, or is this standard now?

Also does anyone know about the participation of David Miliband and Peter Mandelson at the demonstration? Is this true or are these just rumours? Any other government ministers?

 http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid23188074001?bclid=1672079856&bctid=54268515001

 http://ovl.indymedia.org/news/2009/12/28786.php

1. I'm sure there were closer to 100,000 than the 40 or 50 thousand being reported by the organisers and the media. I've been to plenty of marches in London and that was certainly one of the bigger ones. I tried to find the front, cutting off huge corners to get to the front but never found it yet waiting in one spot for the march to pass also proved fruitless as it just went on an on. Having been at a march only a couple of weeks ago which attracted 70,000 I'm sure this one was bigger.

2. It was a really 'plastic' march (for want of a better term). The mass production and standardisation of placards at this march were more noticeable than I'd ever seen which I though especially irons for a climate change march. There were dozens of cubic meters worth of sawn timber on those tens of thousands of identical printed cardboard placards. I saw very few home made efforts utilising people own slogans, recycled card and reclaimed timber etc.

3. The RSPB had produced plastic inflatable sausage shaped things with slogans on. What the hell is that about? What a waste of resources for something that will be 'used' once and then discarded. It's great that they mobalised their membership for the wave but that was really off message and just not on.

4. It was also amazing to see the co-op mobalise for the wave and we even had our local store putting leaflets for our local meetings and transport etc at the check outs. But what was with their placards? They really were little more than an advert for the co-op. I understand why they'd do that but still, it sucks.

5. Obviously all the usual criticism of A to B marches apply.

I cant remember seeing any placards on a climate march as bad as these Co-op ones. Whats worse, people were actually using them. God help us.

After the last climate camp (blackheath) there was a lot of criticism of climate camp and climate camp actions. this time around I have seen very little analysis or criticism of climate camp in trafalgar square from anarchists on indymedia or any other anarchist forums or e-lists. there has been no negative comments, in fact there has been no comment at all.
what does tis silence indicate? What do we think about the latest climate camp endeavour? Do we as class struggle anarchists support this action? Will it be an effective action? how should we support this action?
Personally i feel that climate camp and climate camp actions have lost their edge. Climate camp is no longer a threat to the status quo. Its quest for media approval has ensured that it has become the safe face of climate activism. this is state-sanctioned protest.
I commend all those who are camped in trafalgar square, your hearts are in the right place and potentially you face police harrassment, violence and incarceration, however it is time that the thousands of climate campers nationwide to step it up and take it to the next level.
We've done the workshops, we know whats at stake, its time to really make our mark.