Danish Police "Preventatively Detain" 40 Protesters

Just hours before corporate CEO's arrived in Copenhagen to begin weighing in on the proposed COP15 treaty, Danish police rounded up climate activists planning to take to the street and detained at least 40 individuals. The police say there was no reports of violence, and that the arrests were preventative. Small groups of protesters have taken to the streets, banging drums on street corners and chanting "mind your business, this is our climate!"

The presence of business leaders at the negotiating table for the climate treaty is a contentious issue for many environmental groups, who feel that pressure from the corporation has created a profits over people approach to negotiations. Groups like Climate Justice Action are outspoken about their disdain that corporate leaders and lobbyists get unfettered access to negotiators and the closed-door meetings. A group called "Our Climate - Not Your Business" is attempting to disrupt today's talks with four orchestrated groups, given specially colored armbands. The purple group's responsibility is to create the largest visual impact by defacing corporate marketing and spreading slogans with banners, spray paint stencils, and graffiti. The green group is responsible for creating disruptive noise with drums, loudspeakers, and pots. The orange group is responsible for physically disrupting the meetings, while the blue group is to sow chaos outside to prevent Copenhagen security from restoring order. "Get inspired by the havoc these [CEOs] wreak on the planet... think street party after the fall of capitalism," says the group on their website.

Other groups and events, like Klimaforum09, opposed the belief that consumerism and capitalism can exist in a sustainable world. "The fear is that the official climate deal likely to come out of the U.N. conference in Copenhagen will be focused on ‘technological fixes’ and biased toward the interests of the corporate lobby and the rich and powerful nations." Protests are expected to increase as the proposed December 8th signing approaches, which will bring together more than 70 world leaders. The Danish police have detained a number of activists and confiscated tools, mobile staircases, ladders, and improvised riot shields, but no violent activism has been reported thus far.