Seattle-based InvestigateWest, an independent, nonprofit organization focused on investigative journalism, sent Alexander Kelly, Blair Kelly, Mark Malijan and Chris Crow to report on the annual U.N. Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark where hundreds of representatives from 192 countries convened.

When they arrived in Copenhagen to photograph, they were denied press passes due to a miscommunication between an independent-journalist lobby group and the United Nations. Subsequently, the team recorded the action on the streets in photographs and video, resulting in the arrest of Crow by Danish riot police.
The conference took place from Dec. 7 to Dec. 18, 2009.

Chris Crow, 27, is a senior at Western. Photo by David Gonzales

What was the UN's reasoning behind not allowing you into the conference?

Chris Crow (CC): We had been told we would be accredited by the United Nations and when we go there it turned out they had accredited too many journalists. Beyond that, a bunch of the delegates from different countries… were also bringing a lot more personal media than had been expected. To make way for them they were cutting off smaller journalism firms, rescinding their accreditation including independent journalists and that included InvestigateWest.

What were you doing when you got arrested?

CC: Basically kind of as a result of the deal with the United Nations, where our accreditations were rescinded we were forced to rely just on our Seattle press passes from InvestigateWest, which were not recognized by the Danish police. Because of that, and because I was trying to get close enough to the action to get good shots of what was going on between the demonstrators and the police, I ended up getting treated as a demonstrator.

Alexander Kelly, 22, is a senior at Western majoring in humanities. Photo by Renee Davies

Why did you decide to participate in the Copenhagen conference?

Alexander Kelly (AK): This trip just seemed like the logical thing to do given my interest in climate. I knew that I wanted to jump into the discussion on climate change and I was looking for a way to do that. Not only heads of states coming together to talk about climate change, but climate activists, indigenous rights activists, civil society groups, and so on and so forth.  People from all over the world converse in this city, so I knew this discussion was taking place there. I knew it was a unique opportunity to meet people in this extreme concentration of climate change awareness.

What was your first thought when you found out you couldn't get your press credentials?

AK: A lot of cursing in my head. Then, well this is a story in itsself, not being able to get access. I went into the Belle Center to get the press pass; I had the accredited letter and was denied. Came all around the world, spent all this money and they pull back [the] credentials.

What happened when Chris Crow got arrested?

AK: I crossed the police line, they let me through. I was guided to the mass of people that had been excluded from the inner circle of the ones who were running free. I met up with Mark [Malijan] and my brother Blair Kelly eventually. One of them relayed to me that Chris had been arrested and at that moment we broke into laughter. Because if anyone was going to get arrested, it was Chris. That was it. That was the feeling among the group. 

Mark Malijan, 23, is a Western alumnus who majored in visual journalism. Photo by Carey Rose

What obstacles did you encounter when photographing the Copenhagen protests?

Mark Malijan: I was in the front line at that point; the biggest thing is trying to run with a crowd, hold all this gear, not to try to get bit by a police dog, and not try to fall down. And at the same time worrying about all those things, you have to make pictures. I just tried to concentrate on the photos themselves and not worry about safety as much because I felt like if I really was in a dangerous situation that I could get out of it or worry about it later. [Later] I was getting squashed. I got hit a by police baton and pepper sprayed which wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, I thought it would be a lot worse. The cops were really good—they only used forced if they needed to. You get your blood pumping and you’re right in the middle of it and you’re hoping to make good pictures. That was my goal, to be in the mix and come out with something good.

Did you ever make it inside the conference?

MM: We got in there finally at the end, but it would have been nice to go there earlier to make sure we weren’t missing anything. I don’t feel like we missed anything too significant… well, I don’t feel like I missed anything too significant.

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