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Youth Activists Being Thrown Out of Climate Talks

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Copenhagen

Youth activists stage sit-in at Copenhagen climate talks, Dec. 16, 2009
Image via It's Getting Hot in Here blog

I was counting myself lucky to be outside the increasingly hot, crowded, and policed conference venue, the Bella Center, this afternoon reporting a story. But word comes of intense times within, as youth activists from around the world stage a sit-in inside the plenary hall, intending to read out millions of names of people who support a binding, effective and fair climate agreement.

Via It's Getting Hot in Here:

5:01 I’m at the heart of the Bella Center, where youth activists from around the world have set-up a sit in.  They are reading aloud the names of the 15 million people who have called for a fair and ambitious treaty, and are refusing to leave until there voices are heard and demands are met.

5:51 After 51 minutes, security finally moves in, asks them to sit on side.  Young people refuse to leave, holding strong.  U.S. Special Envoy on Climate Change, the U.S.’s chief negotiator just walked by and definitely noticed.

6:07 Many people just dragged away.  There is a bit of pandemonium and everyone is spread out.  Chants of “the Whole World is Watching” coming from throughout the halls.

6:24 Here’s video of security dragging youth away from the sit-in less than 15 minutes ago:


 


7:04
All the lights in the corridor turn off, they are trying to get civil society to leave. 

And via enviro-tech writer Karl Burkart on Twitter, around 5 p.m. local time: Hannah from Sweden crying on metro.. 1 of 2000 youth delegates that had their credentials revoked at #cop15 http://yfrog.com/3n5nuj  

See more of Emily's reports from Copenhagen as part of OnEarth's ongoing coverage

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Copenhagen

Comments

  • Christina wrote on December 16, 2009, 01:57PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate Flag this comment as inappropriate

    Hi Emily,

    From 7-8 pm tonight we celebrated Earth Hour with lights off all around the city of Copenhagen, including inside the Bella Center.

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