The Green movement is already at odds with French authorities at COP21. In an attempt to preserve the peace in Paris, the French government has placed 24 activists with histories of violence on house arrest for the duration of the summit.
Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve stated that the activists “have been violent during demonstrations in the past” and that they would not respect the state of emergency established by French authorities.
Since the tragic terrorist attacks on November 13th, Paris has banned large public demonstrations. Most have accepted this effort to focus resources on security and fighting terror.
COP21 has attracted professional agitators from around the world however, and they present a unique threat to public safety. Violent demonstrations by environmental extremists have been common at previous UN Conferences, creating a huge distraction for police. The French government is sending a clear message that similar chaos and destruction will not be tolerated.
Many activists remain undeterred. Author Naomi Klein calls the security measures a “gross abuse of power that risks turning the summit into a farce.” Activists plan to move forward with a “day of civil disobedience.” According to organizer John Jordan, “we are trying to find creative ways around the law,” even as they seek to legally bind billions of people to their own extremist agenda.
Just how far this “civil disobedience” will go remains to be seen. Teargas has already been deployed against illegal climate demonstrators, who reportedly wore masks and threw objects at police. CFACT will continue to monitor the situation in Paris and present a desperately needed counterargument against the global warming alarmists at COP21.