Police have used teargas and arrested 8 people during a protest against the expansion of Krzyszkowice open cast coal mine in southern Poland this morning. The protest is a part of the Obóz dla Klimatu/Climate Camp held between 16th and 21st July in the vicinity of a complex of open cast mines and power stations.

The Camp’s website states:

“Where beautiful lakes disappear due to the open-cast mining, the river Noteć [the local river] dries out, and local farmers are forced to come to terms with the ever-worse harvests each year, we will meet together with local communities to fight social injustice and environmental destruction .”

“Civil disobedience is a direct form of regaining climate justice. We have no time for talks with politicians, nor will we wait for the political parties to make their choices, which will likely just conform their own short-term interests. We are taking the matters into our own hands!”

This is the second edition of Climate Camp in Poland, and it follows a successful event from last year, which saw over 400 people joining forces for a five-day event based on the principals of direct action and self-organisation.

Image: Obóz dla Klimatu/Climate Camp social media page.