THE CITY of London today became the focus of activists from the Blackheath Climate Change camp.


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A group of campaigners picketed the entrance to the City’s Climate Exchange on Bishopgate, which deals in carbon trading, the business of off-setting carbon emissions.

“Too many governments are using carbon trading as an excuse not to cut emissions. People are making a lot of money out of this, but nothing is really being done,” activist Leila Deen told The Guardian.

Further stunts are planned over the next few days as more people join the estimated 1,500 already encamped at the campaigners’ Blackheath base.

Over the last week, activists had kept secret the location of their camp to deter police blocking tactics and only revealed it to be Blackheath yesterday.

Blackheath was chosen for its links to the Peasant Revolt in 1381, when Watt Tyler led an army of rural types into London.

“It is really exciting to be able to look back through history and see this as the site of the uprising of thousands of people,” said Lucie Hayward, a Climate Camp spokesperson.

“It is also important to be able to see the City where there were the most recent protests against G20 and where we are focusing our protest against the economic and political failures that are causing climate change.”