Photos: Climate Camp sets up, gets shut down

It was a great plan - take over an uninspiring section of grim corporate London and transform it into a fully-fledged climate camp, complete with a kitchen, toilets, workshop spaces and even a ceilidh.

As I made my way back to London on the train yesterday afternoon, I was getting messages from friends telling me to "come down, it's lovely." Camped outside the European Climate Exchange, the campers were there to point out that many of the problems that have caused the credit crunch - lax regulation, too much power handed over to big corporations, trust placed in unproven financial instruments - are just as relevant to how we're messing up dealing with climate change.

It was all going well until, as the sun set, riot police crowded around the camp and contained protestors for about six hours. That was about the point I turned up, just missing my chance to get into Bishopsgate to join up with my friends and fellow campers, so I spent my evening standing in a cold alley surrounded by police.

Maybe it's just as well. As the night wore on, there were increasingly aggressive incursions by police into the camp, with campers being trampled, beaten and dragged around as the camp was cleared. Even when people were allowed to leave, some were told they couldn't unless they were photographed, had their names and addresses taken, and searched. All for setting up something that looked like a mini-festival.

Wherever you are on the scale of cynicism, it was hard to watch the scenes at the end without feeling like the police had got it pretty badly wrong - by displaying so much aggression and using such heavy-handed tactics, they essentially transformed a peaceful and friendly event into a fraught and unpleasant one. But then, maybe that was what they were trying to do?

No matter. As you can see from the photos below, throughout the day the camp itself was a joy - with energy, organisation and practical solutions proudly on display. Good work!

An impromptu band sets up, and people respond by ceilidh-ing in the streets. © Mike Russell 2009

Campers look out through bunting and banners... © Mike Russell 2009

It turns out to be sunny. © Mike Russell 2009

People set up rocket stoves and cooked soup for the assembled throngs. © Mike Russell 2009

There aren't any buses coming... © Mike Russell 2009

For more check out the climate camp website.