Climate Justice protests were largely peaceful and law abiding. However, the levels of police violence, provocation and intimidation were excessive. On the Climate Justice demonstration on 12th December 2009, 100,000 people marched demanding major systemic change rather than climate change. The police waded into the march, split off a section of the crowd and arrested them en masse irrespective of whether they had committed anything illegal or not (usually they had not). There were 968 arrests with virtually no-one charged. Activists were handcuffed and forced to sit on the ground in cold temperatures and in uncomfortable positions, Guantanamo style, for hours. Activists were also held en masse in cages. There were incidents of police pepper-spraying activists while they were in the cages, because they had the temerity of sing to keep their spirits up. Elsewhere, activist convergence spaces were raided by police and hundreds of activists detained. The autonomous district of Cristiana – where Reclaim Power had organised a range of legal events and meetings – was surrounded by police, and tear gassed. The place was shut down with free movement in or out prohibited. The Candy factor – where the Bike Bloc were repairing and constructing bicycles for the global day of action on the 16th December - was raided by police and those dangerous terrorist weapons, bicycles, were confiscated. Legal marches were pepper-sprayed. The message was clear. Buy the Hopenhagen brand or you will be punished.
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