Above Photo: From PopularResistance.org.
As you may know from reading our response to the attacks in Paris, we have decided to continue the Climate Games in this city where the COP21 is taking place, despite the banning of all outdoor political demonstrations. The state of Climate Emergency is far too great for us to call the Games off. Christmas markets, trade fairs and football matches continue as normal, so why not the Climate Games? For further information and last minute updates, please check our website.
PARIS – A STATE OF EMERGENCY
The French government wants to reduce the COP21 to “the essential — negotiations”, we think that what is essential is civil society expressing itself in the streets and that without that, there should be no COP21. We are not alone; many organisations are pushing for a lift on the ban, and now that the March for Climate on the 29th is illegal, more people are planning to disobey in Paris than ever before —in a state of emergency, civil disobedience might become the norm!
As we speak the climate of fear that the state wishes to impose on the population is taking the form of house arrests for key organisers and raids of art and activist squats. They have even closed down one of the universities for a few days fearing a student occupation. It is a perfect example of a shock doctrine, an attempt to confuse and weaken our movements at a point where we were strong and having wins such as the KXL pipeline, oil companies pulling out of the arctic and massive divestment from coal. At the moment no one from the Climate Games team has been visited, and the beauty of the Games is that there are no leaders, no key nodes, no heads to cut off. Our tool is decentralised, like the roots under the forest we are invisible because we spread and grow without hierarchy.
By imposing a state of emergency, Team Blue has already started the Games by cheating. We urge all those planning things in Paris to take utmost care, beware of the sensitive situation everyone is in and keep to our code of non-violence. We encourage you to have legal support via the legal team (Tel: 
+33(0)7.53.39.35.45 FREE or email cosomi [at] riseup.net). The Climate Games is simply a tool and we can’t take any responsibility for the actions taken under its name. All action reports will be moderated however and ones that endanger yourselves or others will not be part of the Game.
What we have heard from the police is that they are mostly concerned about actions that in their words “tie up police officers’ time and thus put them in danger”, which might include locking onto things etc. Of course this is no guarantee, especially given the ever changing situation. A demonstration is defined as more than two people sharing a political message, we suggest that this can be read in a creative manner. For more information on what the State of Emergency means see the legal info page.
THE TOOLS AT YOUR DISPOSAL
The Games interactive map is starting to fill up with playing fields from around the world, ranging from headquarters of COP21 sponsors, fossil fuel lobbyist champagne parties, to the very sites of extraction and distribution. Don’t hesitate to add your favorite emanations of the Mesh. When the Games begin, you will be able to nominate teams for the awards with our brand new reporting tool and follow it all via the map as well as on social media (#ClimateGames).
We are overwhelmed by the response of more than 220 imaginative, cheeky, mysterious team registrations. There are teams promising magic spells such as the Fairy-Tale Creatures Club whilst others such as the Green Deal Abuja fighting frontline struggles against the destruction of the Ogoni lands by oil and gas corporations in Nigeria. We have Beatzar promising rebellious dancing and we suspect that La brigade anti sommeil (“anti sleep brigade”) might be making some noise, what the erisian peoples (and non-peoples) inclusive liberation front (aerial catering squad) will deliver we can only imagine.
As we enter the last days before the kickoff, some last pieces of advice… Check out the updated Awards page and think which categories to self-nominate when filing your report. Don’t rush your report submission; better to take the time to make sure you have a safe, appealing and informative report. And finally, If you are coming to Paris, follow updates on training and matchmaking dates & venues on the Preparation page. If you are wanting to come and make some art and meet the great Tools for Action team to help them with their inflatable cobble stones, then go the the Atelier des Possibles, Jardin d’Alice, 19 rue Garibaldi, Montreuil – Metro Robespierre.
We wish everyone safe, playful and effective Games!
Yours,
the Climate Games Paris Coordinating Mycelium.