London G20: Climate Exchange

Wednesday, 1 April 2009 6:50 PM

Climate activists descended on London's financial district today to highlight the impact on the environment on current global economic systems.

The situation remained stable throughout the afternoon and into the early evening, despite fears it might have destabilised during rush hour.

Members of the Camp for Climate Action (CCA) and the public erected tents in the middle of the street in Bishopsgate to highlight their concerns.

"Two legal observers, who advise those who get arrested on their rights and try to act as a preventative to police violence, said so far police and protestors were managing a sort of truce, albeit an uneasy one," our correspondent said.

Our correspondent Kelvin Goodson spoke to protestors:

Kerstin Twachtmann, 27, digital youth co-ordinator, ActionAid UK

Sian McLachlan, 25, digital content producer, ActionAid UK

Bjorn Twachtmann, 30, web developer

On their Facebook page earlier, the group posted: "First the city traders speculated with our homes, jobs and money - with disastrous results. Now they are speculating with our climate and the very future of life on earth - and once again our governments are cheering them on."

Read our correspondent Laura Miller's updates in full below:

17:56 - From Bishopsgate: Our correspondent spoke to activists at the Climate Camp.

Kerstin Twachtmann, 27, digital youth co-ordinator, ActionAid UK

Sian McLachlan, 25, digital content producer, ActionAid UK

Bjorn Twachtmann, 30, web developer

16:25: "Police have blocked all minor roads off Bishopsgate, leaving a tunnel of protestors only able to enter or leave at the top and bottom of Bishopsgate."

15:45: "In full suit and tie Horatio Jimenez cuts an unusually strange figure among the fluorescent wigs and fancy-dressed protestors. The former project manager for Deutsche Bank got out of banking last June, and says it was the best decision he ever made. 'They have a lot to answer for. They are greedy. Bankers have no decency.'"

15:07 - "Two legal observers, who advise those who get arrested on their rights and try to act as a preventative to police violence, said so far police and protestors were managing a sort of truce, albeit an uneasy one. But they fear that will be broken later once the city clears of office workers."

13:43 - "A series of fights broke out between protestors and police. The police won't comment on the number of people arrested so far, but one man was taken away, vomiting."

13:35 - "A small group of protestors have broken off from the main tented area and are clashing with police over attempts by the protestors to take over a still open road," our correspondent reports.

"After a minor scuffle the police have now moved on to jeers from the mainly young crowd."

13:19 - Our correspondent reports: "A whisper goes up in the crowd to keep moving to counter attempts by police to kettle protestors in."

13:11 - "Climate camp protestors have pitched their tents in Bishopsgate," our correspondent reports.

"Tents of all shapes and sizes have taken the place of cars this afternoon as climate activists take to the streets ahead of tomorrow's G20 summit

"A samba band leads the musical accompaniment with low-fi 80s stereos blasting out crackly betas. The carnival atmosphere is only broken when a column of police pass by."

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