Children and riot police face off in Canadian “Moms” video 4

The Canadian campaign Moms Against Climate Change just released a provocative video (below) that makes a boldly emotional appeal for action on global warming.

Set in an unnamed city, the 86-second video “Demonstration” features a protest march comprised entirely of children. Riot police block the street, tap their shields and clubs ominously, and hold back barking dogs. Eventually the cops let loose on the children, chasing one boy up a chain link fence while another falls in the street.

It ends with the message, “If our children knew the facts we do, they’d take action. Shouldn’t you?” The violence is presumed, not shown explicitly, but the implication is that we’re all engaged in violence against children by failing to head off the climate changes whose biggest impacts will unfold later this century.

There’s more: Moms Against Climate Change also launched a new website that encourages Canadian mothers to post photos of their children beneath a message to the Prime Minister: “Stephen Harper: Remember who you’re representing in Copenhagen.” Given the reservations many parents have about posting private information about their children on the internet, it’s a strategy likely to cause controversy. The children’s first name and hometown accompany the pictures, and there is a note about private protection in the “Upload” section.

The campaign is a joint effort of two Canadian environmental groups, Environmental Defence and ForestEthics. But it holds importance everywhere, because the Conservative Harper is a world leader that climate negotiators are particularly worried about.

The prominent Australian author and climate activist Tim Flannery recently called on Harper to change his “obstructionist position” on a climate treaty.

“We desperately need Canada to play a much more positive role in the coming months,” Flannery said at a recent news conference in Ottawa. “Canada is an important country with important obligations.”

With the “Moms” campaign, Harper will hear that message from Canadians too.

The video:

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