Today at 5 pm more than 50 international youth staged a sit-in to demand that the world leaders produce a fair, ambitious and legally binding agreement. The action in itself was also a protest against the illegitimate exclusion of civil society observers. We do not want any decision about us to be taken without us

FYEG Demonstration

While sitting in the mail corridor of the conference center, the youth read off the names of 11 million of the world’s citizens who supported the need for a fair, ambitious and legally binding treaty by signing an online petition. The peaceful activists were dragged away by security guards who also recorded their names. One of the NGO observers (our own Delegate Sebastian Power) was arrested by the security and kicked out of the conference center.

“We will not leave until we get a deal which deserves this name and ensures the survival of the most vulnerable citizens whose lives are threatened by the effects of climate change”, underlined one of the activists. As the heads of states arrive in Copenhagen, we want them to know that civil society is watching them from outside Bella Center and will pressure them to seal a deal which is worth it.

Just a few minutes ago the US senator and former candidate for presidency John Kerry came to thank the activists for their amazing commitment. “Now who have to put pressure on your government”, demanded Alexis Prokopiev. “We are working on it”, was John Kerry’s immediate response.

(Video thanks to SustainUS)