Climate change camps are training a new wave of eco-warriors – CNN

In Global
August 23, 2019
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Kingersheim, France (CNN) — A growing number of Europeans have decided that they’ve had enough of inaction in the face of the climate emergency, and they’re in training to do something about it. This August, over 1,000 people gathered near the Alsatian town of Kingersheim, France to participate in the third edition of a two-week-long

Kingersheim, France (CNN) — A growing number of Europeans have decided that they’ve had enough of inaction in the face of the climate emergency, and they’re in training to do something about it.

This August, over 1,000 people gathered near the Alsatian town of Kingersheim, France to participate in the third edition of a two-week-long training camp put together by three environmental groups, Alternatiba, Friends of the Earth and ANV-COP21.

Its climax was an elaborate exercise designed to simulate the disruption of a climate summit, attended by mock presidents Emmanuel Patron and Mickey Trump. A working lunch was organized for the faux-leaders and both had their own Twitter accounts (@Manuel_Patron_ and @MickeyTrump3).

Outside the venue, camp attendees joyfully practiced their freshly minted demonstration skills and waved colorful placards of their own design before phalanxes of fake police officers.

Activists simulate a disruption to a climate summit.

The youngest participant was under one year old, the eldest 86. Entire families came to learn how to take part in and organize effective protests against climate inaction, following a philosophy that rejects violence, but deems that law-breaking is an acceptable way to send a strong message to decision makers.