Anger set alight as candles are nearly blown out at protest
Protesters were left rather deflated and embarrassed after their statement candle light protest on climate change nearly got blown out due to public liability issues.
The members were forced to find money to pay for public liability insurance after they were barred from a public square in Totnes without the cover.
The campaigners are now in an argument with South Hams Council asking why they had to fork out more than £100 for the protection cover, before being allowed to join the other hundreds of candlelit vigils for climate change action from the Copenhagen Summit.
The rally at Totnes was organised to run with some 2,900 similar events being held across 139 countries to put pressure on world leaders to come up with climate change action at the Copenhagen Summit. Around 50 protestors showed up at the Market Square on Saturday.
Thalia Vitali, who helped organise the Totnes candlelit protest, said she had been warned by the district council that she would not be allowed to hold the event in the Market Square without public liability insurance.
“I had to cough up £106,” she said, although the organisers managed to raise £70 by asking for donations towards the expense.”
Thalia furthered: “Normally that is not a thing that is done. One or two members were not happy that we were asking for money. I felt very uncomfortable and had to go to great lengths to explain why this had happened.”
Totnes district councillor Anne Ward, was also angered by the issue: “This was a climate change vigil. Come on. This is a public space and people need to be able to express themselves publicly. It's part of the culture in Totnes, part of town life and it's been going on for donkey's years.”
Public liability cover vital
A council spokesman explained why insurance was so important: “The council's public liability insurance does not cover other people holding events on council land. It is purely for council-organised events.
“It is a requirement that any person or organisation using our land for an event should hold public liability insurance to indemnify themselves again a member of the public making a claim against them as organisers of the event.
“We have a duty to ensure the safety of the public and it would be irresponsible of the council to allow uninsured events to go ahead.”
Thalia commented: “The council stipulated that we would not get permission unless we had public liability insurance. I had to arrange it myself and send the paperwork to the council. Other council members were outraged and furious about this.”
Despite the financial hurdle, the protest went well. Eileen Noakes, a well known environmental and peace activist, and a member of an online campaign network said: “We need a deal that is ambitious enough to leave a planet safe for us all.”
Updated on 12/15/2009