Danish police clash with activists

[Savonarola]

I hope they send these protesters to the butter cookie gulag 

Danish police clash with activists 
 
Protesters are hoping to break into the UN conference to hold a 'people's assembly' [AFP]
 
Danish police have clashed with protesters attempting to storm barricades around a UN conference on climate change in Copenhagen, Denmark's capital.

Officers used pepper spray and batons to contain hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Bella Centre on Wednesday, where talks between 193 nations over global warming are taking place.

Demonstrators are hoping to break into and take over the summit to turn it into a "people's assembly" with the aim of giving voice to ordinary people affected by climate change.

Jonah Hull, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Copenhagen, said there had veen "ugly, angry scenes in confrontation with the police".

'Wielding batons'

"Several hundred people are now corralled by a very stiff Danish police presence - riot police in full gear wielding batons," he said.

"A little while ago there were a few critical moments as they tried to breach that barricade. But since then the crowd has been compressed. It's smaller now in number and it is encircled by the police."

Police said some 230 protesters had been detained during Wednesday's action. There were no reports of injuries.

But Climate Justice Action, which organised the march, said demonstrators were determined to get past the barricade.

"We will get past the police cordon so that we can hold a popular assembly and discuss with delegates from the summit ... to get a climate solution," Peter Nielsen, the group's spokesman, said on Danish TV2 news.

"The police have tried to get in our way all week now. This is a question of resolving a global problem, and we will not hold people back," he said.

Security in the Danish capital has been beefed up to try and stop activists from accessing the Bella Centre, where representatives from 193 countries are negotiating a new global warming deal.

Summit deadlock

World leaders have begun arriving at the 12-day talks as they enter their final stretch.

Negotiations so far have been hampered by divisions between rich and poor nations over cuts to greenhouse gas emissions and financing for developing nations.

Alan Fisher, Al Jazeera's correspondent inside the summit, said talks have entered a crucial point, with hope resting on political heavyweights breaking the deadlock.

"Everyone knew there were differences between the rich developed nations and the poor developing nations before this conference even got underway.

"I think there was a hope that somehow through the discussions both sides would come together - that clearly hasn't happened," he said.

"Now the political heavyweights are getting involved trying to make sure that these talks stay on track."

He said Wednesday's replacement of Connie Hedegaard, the Danish president of the summit, with Lars Lokke Rasmussen, the country's prime minister, was a sign that stronger action was needed.

Hedegaard told Wednesday's meeting: "With so many heads of state and government having arrived it's appropriate that the prime minister of Denmark presides".

Hedegaard, who will continue to participate in negotiations, said the move was procedural.

Barack Obama, the US president, and Wen Jiabao, the Chinese prime minister, are expected to arrive in the last few days of talks.

[Tonitrus]

Where are the water cannon pics? 

[Savonarola]

Where are the water cannon pics? 

This is the best Al-Jazeera had:



Too much hair for it to be C4 though, so I'm disappointed.

[Valmy]

Plus he isn't wearing pink.

[HVC]

The cops need bigger battons... with spikes.

[Valmy]

The cops need bigger battons... with spikes.

Something like this maybe?

[Ed Anger]

I watched some video on CNN. The police batons are too short.

[KRonn]

I watched some video on CNN. The police batons are too short.

Well, Denmark is small country; not a lot of space to swing a large baton around. 

[Admiral Yi]

Raincoat made from non-natural fibers.  Tut tut tut.

[Valdemar]

It snows here, that helps usbdue the protests

And that isn't full riot gear.. when they have that on they have flak like wests, with back panales like snowborders and chin guards, not to mention shields, they didn't even use shields or teargas, only hand held pepper sprays.. weak protest in all

There was a nice footage of a cop forcible tackling a protester trying to get aorund by biking across a big golf course

V

[Richard Hakluyt]

I watched some video on CNN. The police batons are too short.

They probably have a bad case of "baton-envy" whenever they see the Indian police in action with their lathis.

Could lead to all sorts of stress-related problems, including impotence; but do the callous Danes care  ?

[Jacob]

It's the size of the baton, it's how you wield it.  Right?

[Octavian]

If the batons fail they can always do this again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E7PHw07Mg4&feature=related



Hopefully some tennis match will be aired at the time so Liep won't be at the riots

[Neil]

Demonstrators are hoping to break into and take over the summit to turn it into a "people's assembly" with the aim of giving voice to ordinary people affected by climate change.

It's kind of funny, trying to imagine the sort of person for whom this sounds like a good idea.

[Liep]

If the batons fail they can always do this again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E7PHw07Mg4&feature=related



Hopefully some tennis match will be aired at the time so Liep won't be at the riots

No tennis match. And I avoided the mass-arrests, I was 20m from the Hara Krishna that did get arrested though. And I really don't see how you can use a smiley with that link. Horrible day in Danish history.