Climate campers on Common face charges

Who knew caring about climate change would mean a court summons?

For the last three Sunday nights, a group of more than 100 college students from across Massachusetts have camped out on Boston Common to call on Governor Deval Patrick to introduce a bill to re-power the state with 100 percent clean electricity by 2020. International climate talks are scheduled next month in Copenhagen, and the students are part of a growing grassroots chorus to get the U.S. to pledge to meaningful greenhouse gas reductions.

But this morning at 1 a.m. around 150 activists – including Jim Hansen, the outspoken NASA climate change scientist – were woken up by Boston Police officers to be told they were trespassing on the Boston Common. They were given a few minutes to leave or face summons.

About half the group temporarily left to the nearby Church on the Hill while 67 stayed to face the trespassing charges.

“It was cordial,’’ said Dan Abrams, a spokesman for the Leadership Campaign, which has organized students on 24 campuses. The students sleep outside on their college or university property during the week and come to the Common on Sunday nights to be ready to lobby in the Statehouse Monday mornings.

“Regardless of the cause, we have to enforce the laws of the city,’’ said Boston Police spokesman Joe Zanoli. He said Boston Common is closed after 11 p.m. “We can’t allow one group to voice their opinion and overlook laws.”

After police took down campers information, the entire group – including those that went to the church - continued camping. They woke this morning to attend a hearing sponsored by Sen. Marc Pacheco on their proposed legislation.

And they’ve already given the police a heads up: They’ll be back next Sunday.