Police Arrest 114 Climate Activists

Climate activists are now the target of police harassment. On Monday, 114 climate activists were arrested in what is being called a pre-emptive strike against protests that have not happened yet.  These arrests occurred all over the United Kingdom.  The protest was going to shed light on the government’s  plan to build a coal fired power plant in Kingsnorth in Kent, England.

Police also seized cell phone records, computers, chains and bolt cutters, said to be equipment used to organize and carry out plans against power plants around the country.

All were released yesterday after being forced to sign agreements not to approach any power plants or disrupt their operations. This action is making activists concerned about the tactics of officers policing environmental protests.

Shona Jainjuah, from the Camp for Climate Action, which yesterday denied planning the action, said: “First the police violently attack the climate camp during the G20, and now 114 people are arrested before they have actually done anything.  People should be very concerned about how the police are stepping over the line in the way they are targeting activists.”

An activist who did not want to be named added: “This is an attempt to silence a peaceful movement of young people trying to make people aware of the greatest threat to the world. This is madness.” Police are said to have technology that makes it easy to track people by their cell phones.  They can also keep track of peoples activities with the 4.2 million cctv’s that they have at their disposal.