2010-01-13

13th January 2010 Copenhagen

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Climate Imprisonments damage Denmark's reputation

Many demonstrations and protests against Denmark, "says Foreign Ministry

Manifestations, demonstrations and protests have hit Danish consulates and embassies around Europe after the climate summit in December in Copenhagen, said the Foreign Ministry.

It is a direct result of police arrests of climate activists in connection with demonstrations during the summit and at least until the release of the four so-called gala activists from Greenpeace last week.

“There have been manifestations especially in front of the Danish embassies in Spain, Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland,” said Klavs A. Holm, who is ambassador for public diplomacy at the Foreign Ministry.

More: http://www.gipfelsoli.org/Repression/Copenhagen_2009/8182.html

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Thoughts of end of year from Denmark

Letter from COP.enhagen of Luca Tornatore and of the other climate activists still detained in the danish jails since the U.N. Climate Conference.

Something is rotten (but not just) in Denmark. As a matter of fact, thousands of people have been considered, without any evidence, a threat to the society. Hundreds have been arrested and some are still under detention, waiting for judgement or under investigation. Among them, us, the undersigned.

We want to tell the story from the peculiar viewpoint of those that still see the sky from behind the bars.

More: http://www.globalproject.info/it/in_movimento/Thoughts-of-end-of-year-from-Denmark/3419

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Peaceful Greenpeace climate protesters released after 20 days of imprisonment without trial

On December 17th 2009, a group of Greenpeace activists grabs headline news around the globe by taking action during the Copenhagen climate summit.

Copenhagen , International — Danish police today released from custody four Greenpeace climate protesters who have endured 20 days of pre-trial detention in Copenhagen prison following a harmless peaceful protest staged on the evening of 17 December. Their release comes a day in advance of their detention being reviewed by a Danish judge. The four activists still face trial in the Danish courts, and possible prison sentences.

More: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/releases/peaceful-greenpeace-climate-pr

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Deterring the demonstrators

Police tactics seen at the recent Copenhagen summit are undermining the right to protest peacefully

Jonas Christoffersen

In the aftermath of the climate change conference in Copenhagen, a lot of questions are being asked about the way police dealt with environmental activists and demonstrators.

Connected to this is the case of the Greenpeace activists who gatecrashed the state banquet hosted by Queen Margrethe II during the conference. They have just been released after spending nearly three weeks in police detention.

Their detention was apparently prolonged because they used false number plates to get past the security checks but one has to ask: was it really necessary to detain these activists for so long for such a minor offence? Greenpeace is after all a peaceful NGO which has a reputation for carrying out publicity stunts of this nature. In a similar case in Belgium, the Greenpeace activists were held for a mere 24 hours.

More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2010/jan/10/police-copenhagen

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Stop-and-search powers ruled illegal by European court

Police powers to use terror laws to stop and search people without grounds for suspicion are illegal, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled.

The Strasbourg court has been hearing a case involving two people stopped near an arms fair in London in 2003.It said that Kevin Gillan and Pennie Quinton's right to respect for a private and family life had been violated.It awarded them 33,850 euros (£30,400) to cover legal costs.

'Sloppy law'

Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 allows the home secretary to authorise police to make random searches in certain circumstances.But the European Court of Human Rights said the pair's rights under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights had been violated.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8453878.stm

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Belgium to step up security at EU summits

VALENTINA POP

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – Belgian authorities on Wednesday (7 January) said they will step up security at EU summits after being embarrassed by Greenpeace activists who breached the system in December to stage a surprise protest.

“From now on, there will be two ways in: One for heads of government and another for the rest of their delegations,” said Belgian interior ministry spokeswoman Margaux Donckier, according to AFP.

More: http://euobserver.com/9/29220