Thousands to march in Copenhagen against climate injustice

Demonstration to protest Trump’s climate policies and the hypocrisy found closer to home

Apr 26, 2017

On Saturday, Donald Trump will have been in office as US president for 100 days and critics maintain that during his brief stint he has downplayed the world’s climate problems.

In response, scores of people will hit the streets as part of the ‘People’s Climate March’ in over 300 cities across the world in a show of resistance to policies that continue to contribute to global warming. In Copenhagen, over a thousand people have signed up on Facebook to attend.

“Join us for a beautiful and inspiring march in Copenhagen to amplify our demands for rapid and responsible climate action and social justice,” the organisers wrote on Facebook.

“Marking 100 days of the Trump administration, a symbol of the global systems that threaten the future of our planet and the safety of our communities, April 29th promises to be a day of global grassroots resistance and rejuvenation.”

North Sea hypocrisy
The organisers have also levelled their criticism at the Danish government’s climate policies, which it describes as being hypocritical – a contention buoyed by the recent North Sea oil agreement.

The event is organised by a handful of volunteers, including Jens Friis Lund, the spokesperson for the demonstration and an associate professor at the University of Copenhagen (KU).

“It’s hypocritical that we, as a wealthy nation with great historical climate responsibility, ask poor countries to hold back on development based on the utilisation of fossil fuels and converting forest to agriculture, while we decide to suck more oil out of the North Sea,” Lund said to DR Nyheder.

“The march is about putting focus on climate changing significantly impacting the poorest and most vulnerable in the world and that Denmark should be fighting for those who suffer the most from the consequences of climate change.”

As of now, over 1,300 people have signed up to attend the march on Saturday, while close to 5,000 more have indicated an interest in showing up. The march begins in front of the Parliament building, Christiansborg, and will then make a loop around the canal area, before ending at Christiansborg again. (see map below).