COP15 Post | News from the UN Climate Change Conference Copenhagen 2009

By Katie Rice

A group representing NGOs taking part in climate activities during the UN Climate Change Conference in December has met with Copenhagen Police to clarify rules for protestors.

At Monday’s meeting, representatives for People’s Climate Action were told that protestors wearing panda costumes during demonstrations would not be violating the ban on protestors wearing masks.

Panda and polar bear suits are commonly considered ‘climate friendly’ symbols in the activist milieu. However, PCA was warned that ‘the first panda who pulls out an iron bar will ruin it for the other peaceful pandas’.

People’s Climate Action represents more than 40 NGOs including the Danish Red Cross, Greenpeace and WWF. In addition to cultural and informative climate events, the group is helping to coordinate a mass climate demonstration on 12 December in Copenhagen.

The latest meeting is one of many with authorities to ensure potential demonstrations pass without incident, according to Lene Vennits, head of the People’s Climate Action secretariat.

The recent toughening of weapons laws also led the secretariat to query if ‘climate chefs’ offering carbon friendly cooking demonstrations would be at-risk if they carried their knives with them. Potential climate chefs have been warned by Copenhagen Police to seek special permission if they wish to transport their sharp culinary equipment with them.

In addition, the 20,000 foreign visitors expected to descend on the city for the two-week period have also been advised to carry their passport with them at all times.

According to a press release issued by the secretariat, police advise that foreigners always carry their passports, whether shopping or taking part in a demo at Bella Center.

Police said that if Danish residents are questioned, they will only have to provide their name, address and birth date.