Police make arrests as protesters head for climate talks venue (Lead)
December 16th, 2009 - 6:19 pm ICT by IANSCopenhagen, Dec 16 (DPA) Danish police Wednesday arrested some 170 protesters as several thousand protesters headed for the venue of the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.
The protesters including the umbrella group Climate Justice Action said they planned to storm the well-guarded Bella Center where negotiators from nearly 200 countries sought to overcome deadlock.
About 50 protesters were arrested near a shopping centre while others were arrested at a train station used as an assembly point.
Police in anti-riot gear erected concrete barriers around the conference venue after activists said they would attempt to disrupt proceedings.
On Tuesday, police seized several home-made bicycles and other material they said could be used for an attempt to storm the venue.
Danish police apprehended more than 1,200 people during protests that took place over the weekend.
Inside the conference centre, environment ministers were holding talks aimed at keeping global warming in check.
With just a few days left before world leaders are due to seal an agreement, the chairwoman of the conference, Connie Hedegaard, and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, have appealed for compromise amid concerns that the talks may be heading for failure.
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Tags: assembly point, ban ki moon, bella center, chairwoman, climate change conference, climate justice, climate talks, concrete barriers, conference venue, connie hedegaard, danish police, deadlock, group climate, justice action, negotiators, riot gear, shopping centre, train station, umbrella group, un secretary general
