My COP15 Diary: Yikes! Defenders of the Planet Get Clubbed by COPS

by Franke James

So many brave young (and old) souls out there fighting for climate justice — and getting brutally pummeled and arrested as a result. Watch this video below created by youth delegates, Yvonne Su and Adam MacIsaac from the Canadian Youth Delegation. I find it heart-breaking.

It’s a tragedy to see people getting hurt for defending the planet!

Here’s another subversive option: Comedic PR by the Yes Men…. The nice thing is the only people who get hurt are the guilty politicians. (Too bad this press release is fiction!)

Breaking News: Canada Announces Aggressive Climate Action

December 14, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CANADA ANNOUNCES NEW AGENDA FOR CLIMATE AND WORLD DEVELOPMENT
Plan includes stricter emissions reductions and immediate “climate debt” bailouts for most affected countries

Reaction in the media:

(Globe and Mail) “How U.S. pranksters hoaxed the world at Canada’s expense”

(Guardian) “Copenhagen spoof shames Canada on the truth about its emissions”

(The Toronto Star) “Hoax slices through Canadian spin on warming”

(CBC.ca) “Copenhagen-anigans: If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery …”

The Yes Men: Copenhagen Spoof Shames Canada; Climate Debt No Joke

———-

My Twitter Highlights

Wednesday, December 16th: Morning to evening

@frankejames: Canada’s Tar sands leak 11M litres of toxic waste daily: “Mordor” Ensures Climate Treaty Fails #COP15 http://wp.me/p1Xsk-F6 by @StephenLeahy

@frankejames: #COP15 is Zoo RT @greenforall Sit-in inside Bella Center as major civil society groups are turned away from negotiations #climate

@frankejames: RT @greenforall More ngo’s locked out of bella center today… Friends of earth and avaaz. Bella center metro closed for “crowd control”

@frankejames: Maclean’s: Suddenly the world hates Canada: Global villain? http://bit.ly/721fgd (see my Fat Cat Canada: http://bit.ly/7ILWoJ )

@frankejames: RT @JasonBarnett: Police hve started beating protesters outside Bella witnessed myself http://ekstrabladet.tv/live/ #cop15 ht @Sparklehouse

@frankejames: BBC: Protesters march on Copenhagen summit: Activists angered by lack of progress on new climate deal http://bit.ly/74ohRy

@frankejames: RT @guardianeco @AP_ClimatePool: Denmark’s Connie Hedegaard resigns as chair of #Copenhagen climate talks, to be replaced by Danish PM

@frankejames: .@GreenpeaceAustP Word that Hedegaard will still be involved in informal talks but her resignation is a sign talks are moving to higher level

@frankejames: 350 @earthkath RT @climatebrad Its just a procedural thing so..Danish PM will preside over high-level talks; Connie’s still running negotiations

@frankejames: RT Milieunet British PM warns of failure but brings hope – COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference Copenhagen 2009: http://bit.ly/6ltfXi

@frankejames: What’s going on at #COP15? Great coverage / analysis http://www.oneclimate.net/ @oneclimate

@frankejames: Copenhagen Activists, Youth Start Protest March, Sit-In, Inside Climate Talks Venue (Video) TH http://bit.ly/579Yta

@frankejames: #COP15 official news: Climate talks deadlocked as clashes erupt outside http://bit.ly/89CUgV

@frankejames: AP report has more details: Climate talks deadlocked as clashes erupt outside http://bit.ly/5nRgDe #cop15

@frankejames: Play-by-play of #COP15 events RT @scccoalition: Great updates coming from #Copenhagen on Guardian: http://bit.ly/guardCop via @aseachange

@frankejames: Worth watching 1:35pm video: RT @incop15 Protests inside Bella: NGOs lockedout http://bit.ly/6ktqoY #cop15 via @RayBeckerman @WWF_Climate

@frankejames: CNN footage of police beatings in Copenhagen: http://bit.ly/7UidJD HT @jsemsmazka [Read post http://bit.ly/7UXhtJ via @Agent350 ]

@frankejames:.@billmckibben Thnx! I got your email & left @350 messages for PM Harper & Minister of Environment Prentice 1.403.253-7990 1.866.599.4999

@frankejames: Live blog by @whitjones & Jamie Henn Youth activists sit-in, refuse to leave until negotiators listen to 11 mil voices http://bit.ly/8BXiZ7

@frankejames: RT @GreenpeaceCA: Whoa! People for Climate Justice have just occupied Harper’s office! http://bit.ly/8VdlsR #climate #cop15 ht @jimbobbysez