London: Demonstrators took to the streets today to press world leaders to act over climate change, in an internationally coordinated protest marking the UN environment conference in Bali.

Organisers said more than 10,000 people rallied in London, while demos were also reported in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, Turkey, and the Indonesian island of Bali itself among other places. "We feel that dealing with this threat should be the number one priority of the British government, a priority for all areas of policy," said a letter handed to Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Police put the number of demonstrators at 2,000 in London, where they marched through the capital amid a steady drizzle before gathering outside the US embassy.
In Germany some 10,000 gathered, again according to organisers, before a symbolic blackout, with people urged to switch off lights for five minutes from 1900 GMT (0030 IST Sunday) in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

The blackout was planned to plunge historic monuments including the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin and Cologne Cathedral into darkness. Some 5,000 people joined the rally in the German capital, while protests were also held in Munich, Nuremberg, Freiburg and Saarbruecken. In Bali itself about 500 activists carrying effigies and banners marched, with protestors coming from as far as Europe, South Korea and Bangladesh to lobby the UN climate talks.

"Stop Climate Chaos," "Rich countries must pay" and "Bush: Killer of the planet," read banners carried by demonstrators in Bali's main town of Denpasar.

Source : PTI