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11 Greenpeace protesters held after EU summit stunt
BRUSSELS - Eleven Greenpeace activists were arrested after breaching European Union (EU) security and carrying out a climate protest as European heads of state and government arrived for a Brussels summit, the group said Friday.
The protesters surprised arriving VIPs, including British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, as they jumped out of vehicles in a "Greenpeace motorcade" before the summit got underway on Thursday.
Wearing fake access badges, the protesters chanted slogans, handed out tracts and unfurled banners reading "EU Save Copenhagen" during their brief intervention under the eyes of the world's press and bemused security guards.
"Greenpeace calls on European heads of state to help secure the strongest possible agreement on climate change in Copenhagen," where United Nation (UN) talks are ongoing, one protester read from a statement, before being marched off.
"We hired some nice cars, we kitted them out with flashing lights and we dressed in suits," Greenpeace official Marc Breddy said.
The action embarrassed the European Council security services, aware that the eco-warriors could just as easily have been terrorists.
"It's a major problem," one security officer said under cover of anonymity.
A council official said that an enquiry had been launched to determine exactly where the security lapses were.
"The security threat here is the failure by EU leaders to protect their citizens from the disastrous effects of climate change, not that some peaceful activists unfurled a couple of banners," Greenpeace EU climate policy director Joris den Blanken said in a statement later, announcing the arrests.
"All activists have been arrested and are still in police custody," he added.
Greenpeace called on the EU to unilaterally boost its pledge on emissions reductions from 20 percent to 30 percent.
"An increase in Europe’s ambition would inject momentum into the climate talks and could trigger real change in the US position... A step forward by the EU might well tip the balance and lead to a legally binding deal in time for Christmas," Den Blanken said.
However, EU officials said there were no current plans to move from the agreed 20 percent emission cuts by 2020 to 30 percent as the rest of the developed world had not made comparable pledges.
The European leaders were to resume their summit talks Friday, hoping to be able to announce a multi-billion euro aid package for the developing world to tackle climate change.
It was not the first time Greenpeace activists had interrupted a meeting at the EU council headquarters in Brussels.
In December 2007, the group erected a wall completely blocking the main entrance to the building and delaying a ministerial meeting on fishing quotas.
Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20091211-241378/11-Greenpeace-protesters-held-after-EU-summit-stunt