Police arrested two activists protesting G8 policies on climate change on 15 March at a demonstration outside a G8 ministerial meeting in the City of London.
15 March 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
POLICE CRACK DOWN ON CLIMATE PROTEST
15 March -- Police arrested two protesters at a noisy demonstration protesting the climate policies of G8 ministers meeting today in the City of London.
About 40 activists beat pots and pans and blew whistles to demonstrate their opposition to G8 climate policies, arguing that they served the interests of big business rather than the world’s poor likely to be most affected by global warming.
They were outnumbered by more than 50 police officers behind a metal barricade set up to defend an entrance to The Brewery on Chiswell Street, where the ministerial meeting discussing responses to the climate crisis was being held.
“The ministerial meeting’s aim was to continue with business as usual while portraying industrialized-country governments as the saviours of the environment. We were here today to say enough is enough. We need true climate justice now,” said Matthew Robbins of Rising Tide, a London-based environmental group.
The protesters stressed G8 and World Bank policies of subsidizing oil exploration and extraction, which they said could only make global warming worse.
“This shows how afraid of the truth ministers are, when they have to barricade themselves out of hearing of the public,” said Amy Tanner of the G8 Climate Action Group.
The arrests, on public order grounds, were made as protesters paused by another entrance to The Brewery where they had moved preparatory to dispersing.
The protest followed Monday’s Alternative Summit for Climate Justice, held at nearby Toynbee Hall.
The alternative seminar was also watched closely by more than 20 police in what one participant characterized as “the sort of attempt at intimidation that is becoming routine in Blair’s Britain”.
For further information:
Matthew Robbins 07708 794665.
Amy Tanner 07814 149249
e-mail:
