New York, Nov. 29 : Climate protesters in the French capital have been placed under house arrest ahead of the opening of the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris following the state of emergency that was declared after the Paris terrorist attacks two week ago.
According to ABC News, green groups have described the move as “an abuse of power” but the French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said the activists were suspected of planning violent protests.
24 people have been put under house arrest as they have denied respecting the state of emergency and have been violent during demonstrations, Cazeneuve said.
Greenpeace International’s executive Director Kumi Naidoo said he was “disappointed” that France’s political leadership would “choose to enable sporting events, trade exhibitions and other arts and culture events to go ahead, but with such a clamp down on the space for the biggest issue humanity faces”, ABC News reported.
The climate talks will see 195 countries coming together to try to come to an agreement on reducing global greenhouse gas emissions beyond 2020. (ANI)