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“The gala-activists deserve respect not prison” says Greenpeace
Remember the Greenpeace activist who made it through the massive security at the Danish queen's dinner during COP15 to wave banners? Well, they are still in prison! Greenpeace demonstrated against the continued imprisonment of four peaceful activsts today.
"21 days in jail without trial? The long detention of four peace activists from Greenpeace is completely disproportionate. Greenpeace therefore calls for a demonstration Wednesday the 30th of December. The Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior, which has been in Copenhagen since climate summit was in progress, lands today at the harbour near Knippelsbro. With a torch in hand we walk from the Rainbow Warrior to Christiansborg Castle Square."
I was there to record the event for you. First of all, here's the captain's speech:
Rainbow Warrior captain speech at demonstration from Benno Hansen on Vimeo.
"The reason Rainbow Warrior is still in Denmark is because something is rotten in the justice department. We're here to protest against the violation of human rights. Four of our activists, the gala-activists, have spent the last two weeks of this decade incarcerated, in jail, because they were rainbow warriors fighting against polluters causing climate change, taking action."
Commenting on the relatively harsh treatment of the gala-activists one police spokesperson said something like: "well, think if they'd been terrorists". Huh!? If your problem is the breach of security, then why not arrest the guy in charge of that in stead? For more info see Climate Heroes pay with their freedom at Greenpeace.org.
After the captain's introduction the demonstrators went torches in hand to the parliament where two speeches more were given in Danish. So watch them if you speak Danish or can't bear to miss the footage.
Greenpeace demonstration for galla-aktivisterne from Benno Hansen on Vimeo.
Ida Auken / Greenpeace demonstration from Benno Hansen on Vimeo.
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Related news from today:
Minister intervenes for held activist
“Switzerland’s foreign minister has intervened on behalf of a Swiss Greenpeace activist being held in Copenhagen to ensure he receives post and family visits.”
50,000 signatures for petition demanding release of Juan Lopez de Uralde
“A group of delegates from Greenpeace arrived at the Danish embassy in Madrid today and handed in a petition for the release of the executive director of Greenpeace Espana, Juan Lopez de Uralde.”
Lock up these eco-terrorists and throw away the key.
From definitions of “terrorism”:
“the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious”
“Terrorism is a policy or ideology of violence”
“the use of extreme fear in order to coerce people (especially for political reasons); “he used terror to make them confess”“
From Greenpeace.org / About:
“Greenpeace is best known for taking non-violent direct actions that confront environmental problems directly and peacefully at their source.
...
Non-violent direct action (NVDA) is used as a last resort when lobbying or negotiations with decision makers fails, and when government and industry do not hear the calls to stop harming our environment. NVDA raises awareness, creates urgency and applies pressure for change.
When undertaking a non-violent direct action our committed staff and volunteers are trained in safety procedures, and we take full responsibility for our actions and the consequences.
“
Since we clearly have terrorism in our world and civil rights are being loosened to combat that, it is important not to lose sight of actual terrorism and use the loosened civil rights to promote political (in this case polluting) ends.