As thousands of visitors arrive at the Cop 15 global biodiversity summit, police in Montreal are bracing for their biggest operation in two decades.
More than 10,000 people, including scientists and bureaucrats, are expected to attend Cop 15 in the Canadian city, according to officials.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP Corporal Tasha Adams told reporters last month that it was an immense event that requires immense planning.
The operation in Montreal would be the biggest in 20 years, according to the RCMP, which is tasked with providing security for foreign dignitaries and senior officials. The RCMP was only given a few months despite typically requiring more than a year to plan for events of similar size.
The UN biodiversity conference is slated to take place in Kunming, China in October 2020, but after a series of delays it was announced in June that it would take place in Montreal in December. Security around the clock is required for the event to last for nearly two weeks.
Several sections of downtown Montreal have been cordoned off, including around the Palais des congr s, where the event will be held. The bustling Place-d Armes metro station will be closed for 20 days.
Security will be overseen by the United Nations within the Palais des congrs. The S ret du Qu bec, the province's police force, as well as Montreal, Longueuil, Laval, Quebec City and Gatineau police will handle crowds and expected protests.
We find it funny how these people have to protect themselves with weapons and barricades to make decisions that are good for biodiversity. They are spending so much money that could be invested in actual solutions, said Dourd, a student organiser with the Anti-capitalist and Ecologist coalition against Cop 15.
As with previous international summits, we know that the police can be very brutal against people who are expressing their discontent. We do not anticipate police repression. We still think we can get our message across. The group, which accuses corporate interests of supplanting bold environmental action at Cop 15, has large protests planned on Wednesday and Friday, and expects to see more than 10,000 people march at both events. The group calls for an end to extractive industries such as oil and mining, a key driver of biodiversity loss.