Will Copenhagen be another “Battle in Seattle”?

When the WTO meetings came to Seattle ten years ago, the negotiations inside the convention center were quickly overshadowed by a series of large and disruptive protests against globalization and corporate influence. Despite a commitment to peaceful resistance, the protest escalated into vandalism, violence, and riots, in what became known as “The Battle in Seattle.”

Rather than cover and interpret the implications of the complex negotiations inside, the media focused most of their attention on the more sound and media-byte-worthy events outside. Many feel that the protests ultimately deflected attention from the real issues, and were partially responsible for the meeting’s dissapointing outcome.

Ten years later, will the UN Climate talks in Copenhagen take a similar turn? Sadly, it’s quite possible. With tens of thousands of non-delegates descending on the city, the similarities in the lead up to Seattle and Copenhagen are striking:

1. Months of advanced protest planning

In Seattle, a variety of well organized activist groups made advanced plans to disrupt the meetings by blocking key intersections, and preventing delegates from reaching the meetings. Several groups are already planning similar disruptive tactics in Copenhagen, including massive marches, a shut down of the harbour, convention center blockades, and other protest actions. As with Seattle, while the majority of protest organizations are committed to peaceful resistance, a few splinter groups seem to be gearing up for vandalism — one group is even promoting their Copenhagen events with pictures of broken glass windows on their website.

2. The wrong definition of success

Just as was the case in Seattle, many of the planned events are designed specifically to shut down the talks in order to get attention. One group has said that they “will push into the conference area and enter the building, disrupt the sessions and use the space to talk about our agenda”. Aside from the apparent contradiction of shutting down talks to further their success, this particular goal invites police confrontation, as it did in Seattle. The police’s job is to allow the talks to continue, and this form of protest will almost certainly elicit a response. The Danish policed have further signalled clearly that they won’t tolerate uncivil disruption, even putting out a pamphlet directed at protesters.

3. Building frustration and lowered expectations

As the Economist reported, “…climate change is becoming more divisive: one of those touchstone issues, like abortion and the death penalty, in which the opposing camps see one another as not just mistaken, but bad”. This divisiveness is compounded by pre-conference acknowldegements that time has run out to secure an acceptable deal. The convergence of similar factors was also the scenario in Seattle, leading to high levels of anger and frustration.

Reaching a global agreement on emissions is a massive undertaking, and I believe that the participants know what’s at stake. We will not get a binding agreement next month, but perhaps the delegates can work through some of the thornier issues and establish a reasonable roadmap towards committing to a more sustainable world. While it may be important to be heard, I for one would like to let the delegates do their work without interruption. We’re all on the same side.

Read more: global warming

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/djbones/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Ben O.

2:09AM PST on Dec 4, 2009

Who knows?
Sustainable Developement; Yes please!

send a green star

Lionel M.

10:22AM PST on Dec 2, 2009

These demonstrations do nothing to further causes. They are counter-productive by destroying the credibility of the participants. The pictures of hordes of animals running amok, destroying property,
creating mayhem, arouse revulsion in decent law-abiding citizens. It is the duty of the police to suppress such lawlessness and the duty of all citizens to support them in that action. Such demonstrations are a reversion to the jungle. They have nothing to do with democracy, which requires its citizens to support their elected governments. They are an attempt at anarchy which must be rigorously opposed.

JE L.

2:54PM PST on Nov 29, 2009

This time those fire hoses should be used on the delegates instead of we, the people.

Past Member .

3:48AM PST on Nov 25, 2009

yeah, let's all stick to polite and easily ignorable little demonstrations, or even better, just stay at home and keep quiet. We wouldn't want to irritate our glorious leaders, their rich paymasters and their class traitor protectors with a potentially massive and effective show of public feeling would we? It may make them listen, and who knows what that would lead to?! Positive, decisive change maybe?

Dmitry B.

2:50PM PST on Nov 24, 2009

Hope it doesn't happen again

Sir Walk F.

6:12PM PST on Nov 23, 2009

Your entire premise is foolsih, since there would have been no media attention on the WTO meetings if the protests didnt occur. And the tired cliche that protesters cause violence is boring. Police cause violence.

Street Protest can be one of the most literal, immediate expressions of true Democracy.

Of course, the police-state has rendered them all but useless no-a-days.

Little A.

4:17PM PST on Nov 23, 2009

I think rallies can be useful and I'm certain that riots will happen in Kopenhagen, because the suits think they can talk and talk and create nice state-muckshots and waste precious time, but some of us just want to clarify how much it matters. I think if nothing worthwhile gets signed in Kopenhagen and that's what seems to be the outcome, many of us will prepare ourselves for worse. I know I am. Economy won't save us in the end.

4:16PM PST on Nov 23, 2009

William X.

1:19PM PST on Nov 23, 2009

Thank you, I watched the video