Government plans tougher punishment for civil disobedience in connection with climate change conference

Activists from more than 30 countries have met at Christiania in Copenhagen to plan their strategy for the COP15 climate change conference in Copenhagen in December.

And, the Justice Ministry is promising harsher punishment for civil disobedience in connection with the conference.

According to activist website Modkraft.dk, network Climate Justice Action will stage a ‘non-violent, confrontational civil disobedience’ at the conference’s site of Bella Center, with the aim of creating ‘an alternative climate agenda’.

‘With their bodies as the only weapons they will attempt to force their way into the meeting,’ the website states.

In addition, the website says a ‘mass blockade’ of the Copenhagen Harbour will take place on 13 December.

In response to the expected unrest in connection with the climate conference, the Justice Ministry has developed a civil disobedience package that will include considerable toughening of the punishment for any civil disobedience related to COP15.

Justice Minister Brian Mikkelsen said people inhibiting police work would be sentenced to 40 days in prison instead of just getting a fine.

The Liberal-Conservative government’s package will almost certainly be implemented, as it has the initial support of both the Danish People’s Party and the Social Democrats.

But Stine Gry Jonassen, the spokesperson for Climate Justice Action, said the move was an unnecessary provocation.

‘They’re criminalising the global climate movement being created by assuming beforehand it will be violent.’

In addition to the 40-day mandatory jail sentence for hindering police work, the government’s proposal plans to include an increase of up to 50 percent prison time over what is presently allowed for vandalism.

All fines related to civil disturbance will be made five times higher than the current allowable amounts – up to 5000 kroner.

The civil disobedience package will also provide police with more mobile video surveillance equipment to document the reasons for arrests made at COP15.

Many experts have warned that the government’s proposal is unlikely to cut down on the number of violent instances by activists at the conference.