2023-12-17 18:21:00
”Keep them underground!” Leave them underground. The activists’ slogan refers to fossil fuels. White suits over their clothes, black hoods and ski goggles to hide their faces, red banners carried at arm’s length, they are determined. For its third action, the Code Red civil disobedience movement attacks the aviation sector. Among the many airports in Belgium, those of Liège and Antwerp-Deurne were targeted on Saturday. If the Antwerp airport might never be reached by the activists, blocked by the police on the way, on the Ardente City side, they managed to enter the premises of the Chinese e-commerce giant Ali Baba.
For its third action, the Code Red civil disobedience movement targeted the aviation sector. Activists, who say they are peaceful, entered the depot of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba and blocked it for 24 hours to demand an end to aviation subsidies. © Johanna de Tessieres
To achieve the objectives of such an action, the movement relies everything on the mass of participants and precise organization. Divided into different groups with very specific missions, the activists know what to expect. Information sessions, training, briefing: communication is abundant, instructions are clear. All the scenarios are reviewed and the roles are numerous. From “Logistical Support” to the “Legal Team”, including the “Police Contacts”, “Medics” or even “Jedi”, who take care of psychological care, nothing is left to chance. “This is reassuring,” explains an activist who is taking part in the action for the first time. We know that Code Red will not let us down, even if we have a problem, even if we are arrested.”
Participants are preparing for the Code Red action on December 16, 2023, in Liège. © Johanna de Tessieres
Participants stick glitter to their fingertips (to hide their fingerprints) and chat. Most are calm, but some are stressed. “I’m terrified,” says Max* just before the action begins. I’m afraid of what might happen, but I’m even more afraid of inaction on climate change. We try to get moving, we put actions in place in our daily lives, but we have the impression that it is useless when we see the carbon footprint of some people”.
Objective achieved in Liège
In Liège, the relaxed atmosphere of the morning briefing becomes more electric when the group arrives at the airport, following almost an hour of walking. Around twenty police cars are waiting for them at the entrance, raising the possibility of possible clashes. Finally, the 600 activists returned without resistance and deployed inside. Tension gives way to euphoria.
Code Red activists reached their target, the warehouse of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, on December 16, 2023, in Liège. © Johanna de Tessieres
Once entered, the action begins. Using wooden pallets, freight trucks are blocked. Activists attach themselves to the gates. The banners are unfurled. Office doors forced open. Cables are launched towards the roof of the building and activists harnessed with climbing equipment climb to display the largest of their banners. In the falling light of the followingnoon, the message appears, gigantic: “Stop expansion, pollution, night flights!”. Applause rings out, the activists burst into joy. The goal is reached.
Code Red activists unfurl their banners on December 16, 2023, in Liège. They demand an end to subsidies for the aviation sector. © Johanna de Tessieres
“I think this action can really have an impact,” comments Capucine*, a double pair of glasses on his nose. “The legal channels are too slow, too soft, adds Roger*, political representative. I wanted to do a lot more.” If everyone has their reasons for being there, everyone carries the demands of the action. “We are calling for an end to subsidies for the aviation sector, a ban on private jets, which only benefit a minority, and a massive investment in sustainable public transport, explains Chloé Mikolajczak, spokesperson for Code Rouge, whose objective is to be long-term. As long as we do not have a satisfactory response from the From the authorities, we will continue actions of mass civil disobedience.”
Illegal police maneuvers
In the evening, around 200 activists entered the warehouse where the goods were stored. For the police, a red line has been crossed. They dislodge the occupants, sometimes with force. “I saw a police officer snatch the phone from a legal observer before throwing it away,” explains a witness. His colleagues then cast him aside. Some police officers were calm, others very nervous”.
Police clear Code Red activists from the warehouse of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba on December 17, 2023, in Liège. © Johanna de Tessieres
Same echo from Antwerp, where the police arrested practically all the activists as well as legal observers, including Edgar Szoc, the president of the Human Rights League. “The activists were walking on the public highway, I was filming,” he says. There was a melee where the police blocked the front of the group but pushed the rear, which is quite paradoxical, and some baton blows. The police made the activists sit down, I was ordered to do so too. If I didn’t want to be taken on board, I had to delete the images I had taken. I refused. This blackmail is illegal, as is the fact that the police officer who gave me the colsons was not identifiable.”
Code Red activists are arrested by the police on December 16, 2023, in Antwerp. © Eric de Mildt
The majority of activists present in Antwerp were released several hours later. In Liège, they spent the night there then left the site around 1 p.m. on Sunday before joining the legal demonstrations organized to end the action.
*All names are pseudonyms or assumed names.
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