Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

November 7, 2017

GERMANY Police on Horseback Charge into Earth Defenders at Coal Shutdown COP23


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ENDE GELĂ„NDE – CLIMATE JUSTICE NOW! PHOTOS


Coal shutdown before COP23 began in Germany, on Nov. 5, 2017

More photos, article at Censored News https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2017/11/pacific-climate-warriors-lead-way-coal.html

2 comments:

Unknown said...

One thing at least the Police who were on the horses were no backed up by a huge Militarized armed police group and it appears they were being sensible and respectful to the Protesters at this open coal mine east of Berlin. In fact this maybe the one that will eventually close in a year or so as it is nearly worked out.
Glad no one was hurt like they did during the Stand Rock water Protectors peaceful protest.

European police have a different approach to peaceful protesting and at least talk and try to negotiate a good peaceful protest - they also do not bring militarized armed thugs, unlike here in the US.
Everyone stay safe and work with the Conference to ensure Trump's Swamp spies do not give Fake Information!

Red Haircrow said...

As anywhere, it can very much depend on your coloring, because "European" police can and do react to people of color who may be Europeans also, in a different way than their paler ones. This cannot be generalized as "European police", because the police in Italy may and do react differently than police in Sweden, and that's still Europe. There is still a huge problem of racial profiling and police violence against people of color here, so I understand the tone of the previous comment, but for actual POC here and organizations who are tracking police response now and in the past, just submitted a report to the UN this year regarding this.

Aside from that, however, I agree. In my observation of German police specifically, there is generally a different mindset based on different procedures, training and response techniques. When I was filming demonstrations or protests, even if someone had forgotten to get a permit for doing so, the police were responsible, carried on a normal conversation, etc. While they may not bring around "thugs", it is a rather common site to see militarized armored buses full of police patrolling or stationed around Berlin.

At the site they mention, which is in the state of Brandenburg where I live, in 2016 Vattenfall did request police response but police declined at the time, though at others there have been many arrests due to clashes. Yet, it in no way compares to what the mercs and police stooges did at Standing Rock. The protests and blockage of fossil fuel and other destructive companies has been going on for a long time and has stepped up, and is beginning to see more success, and many legislators also back the end of dirty energy and choose to look also to the future, instead of the immediate now.