Paris human chain presses leaders for climate deal

Protesters linked hands near the heart of the Paris terror attacks today but others clashed with police, giving an emotional jolt to world leaders flying into the French capital to try to save Earth from climate catastrophe.
As hundreds of thousands of people joined protests worldwide, the human chain aimed to send a highly symbolic message to leaders on the eve of the official opening of a 195-nation UN climate summit in Paris.
French authorities cancelled two climate demonstrations in the City of Light after gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people on November 13 for security reasons.
Though the Paris protests were overwhelmingly peaceful, a small band of anti-capitalist militants clashed with riot police in the late afternoon leading to the arrests of about 100 people.

Instead of marching, many activists left thousands of pairs of shoes -- weighing more than four tonnes according to organisers -- on Place de la Republique square. A pair of running shoes was left by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, and Pope Francis sent shoes to be placed on his behalf.
In the first organised demonstration in the French capital since the attacks, climate protesters of all ages lined the wind-blown streets to link up in a two-kilometre human chain.

"Hear our voices! We are here!" they chanted.
"There was a lot of solemnity, dignity on the pavements. There was a powerful current that passed between people's hands," said Genevieve Azam, spokeswoman for organising group Attac.

"It was a pleasure to be able to lift the lid that has weighed on French people since the attacks."
Protesters left a 100-metre gap in the human chain outside the Bataclan concert hall, the site where gunmen killed 90 people, as a mark of respect to the victims.
Hours later, though, riot police fired teargas at protesters who pelted them with bottles and candles in Place de la Republique and chanted "State of emergency, police state", referring to the post-attack protest restrictions.
Around 100 people were arrested after the clashes, according to police.
Some 150 leaders, including US President Barack Obama, China's Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russia's Vladimir Putin, will attend the official start tomorrow of the UN conference tasked with reaching the first truly universal climate pact.

About 2,800 police and soldiers will secure the site of the November 30-December 11 conference, and 6,300 others will deploy in Paris.