They went to jail. What will you do?

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/climate-change/changethefuture



Dear climate activist,
They went to jail. What will you do? I need your help.

Today four of my friends are in prison. Their crime? At the UN Climate Summit last month, they managed to get into a dinner party where world leaders were dining with the Queen of Denmark and held up banners demanding they take action against global warming.



Juan, Nora, Christian and Joris, known as the "Red Carpet Four" have remained in virtual isolation, without trial, over Christmas and New Year. I'm on my way to Copenhagen to tell the Danish authorities that these four activists did not act alone.

If the intention of the Danish police is to imprison climate activists to stop their acts of civil disobedience, they need to jail me and the millions of people who, like the Red Carpet Four, would be proud to take non-violent action to demand action against global warming. The restriction of peaceful protest against a problem as pressing as climate change is a serious threat to democracy.

The "Red Carpet Four" face a court hearing on Thursday and it's possible that the police will ask a judge to prolong the pre-trial detention for another week or even more. We need your help to ensure their freedom.

I am no stranger to preventive detention. It was one of the injustices I struggled against in South Africa during the days of Apartheid - in South Africa, we had a motto: "Charges or Freedom". The "Red Carpet Four" have been held for three weeks without trial, contrary to human rights standards. This is disproportionate, senseless and insensitive - especially over the Christmas period when they were not allowed any family visits.

Last week we asked you to write to the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of Australia along with the President of the European Commission. Over 25,000 of you sent letters and I want to personally thank you for that. As four of our fellow climate activists await trial in a Danish jail I'm hoping you will take action once more to support them - and to support peaceful civil disobedience against the forces standing in the way of climate justice.

Yours faithfully
Kumi

P.S. If we act now - we can still change the future.

Take action here: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/climate-change/changethefuture

[stray cat]

1. Speaking out in Iran or North Korea will get you killed - how many here risk that for any belief?