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Protest: Activists wearing reflective vests, above, chained themselves together and encircled themselves with security fencing they had brought on to the runway
Four arrests as climate change activists from Plane Stupid break in to Stansted Airport - Telegraph
The protest began at 3.15am when 54 campaigners occupied a runway that had been closed for maintenance work, according to Plane Stupid, which organised the demonstration.
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Previous FR thread related to "Plane Stupid" twits
I'm too terrified of jail to carry on, says eco-warrior (reality check for 'Face'of activism chic)
ON THE INTERNET:
www.youtube.com/user/PlaneStupid2008
www.planestupid.com/
Protesters stormed Nottingham Airport in 2006 and made it onto the roof of the House of Parliament last year.
The group's motto is "bringing the aviation industry back down to earth".
I see how the Daily Mail has adopted the P.C, but utterly deceptive, “climate change” adjective.
This was adopted when the “global warming” charlatans kept being froze to death in record cold during their winter protests.
Flights back on after protest The Sun News
Around 50 people from the group - called Plane Stupid - caused havoc when they broke in at around 3am.
Cops said 29 were arrested after the group built a fenced-off stockade to stop planes taking off.
The airport was forced to close as cops moved in but reopened around five hours laters.
Twenty-one flights had to be cancelled.
The group are campaigning against greenhouse gas emissions and planned to prevent the use of the runway.
Activist Lily Kember said: "It is too late for words, we need action on climate change."
BAA, operator of Stansted Airport, said the runway had been closed for "safety and security reasons" and warned passengers to expect delays.
A spokeswoman for the Essex airport said passengers should check with airlines before leaving home.
MORE to follow.
I think stupid Luddites like that get a sense of power by distupting peoples’ lives.
That should make it easy, if they're chained together attach said chain to an aircraft moving truck and tow them into a hanger and arrest them. It should take 30 minutes tops.
Chaos at Stansted after climate change protesters storm runway Mail Online
(edit)
Tens of thousands of passengers were stranded as dozens of flights - including easyJet and Ryanair services - were cancelled and many others seriously delayed.
The incident, which is hugely embarrassing for airport operator BAA, is believed to be the first time demonstrators have managed to occupy one of Britain's major airports.
Security breach: Police remove protesters who broke through the perimeter fence at Stansted airprot today, causing chaos for passengers
Demonstrating against a planned second runway at the airport, they chained and bolted themselves to security fencing they brought in with them.
It took police hours to cut them free and it was not until 8.30am - almost five hours after the protest had started - that the airport was able to resume flights.
Officers arrested 57 activists in connection with the demonstration and took them away in an airport shuttle bus.
One delighted protester, who would only give her name as Olivia, said: 'We are all now in a big shuttle bus having a bit of a party. We are all singing and dancing. This is the first time a major British aiport has been brought to a standstill for this reason.'
Another, Lily Kember, 21, speaking by phone during the sit-in, said: 'It's a bit cold but everyone is in good spirits. Being arrested is a terrifying prospect, but not nearly as terrifying as the threat of climate change.'
(edit)
in a furious statement handed to waiting passengers, the airline said: 'We will be calling for an investigation as to why the BAA management has once again failed to keep Stansted Airport open to the travelling public.
'It is unacceptable that the travel plans of thousands of passengers have been disrupted because BAA Stansted security have failed to remove a number of protesters.'
BAA warned passengers to expect delays and to contact airlines directly for information on individual flights.
People on their way to Europe to do some Christmas shopping were among the thousands who had their travel plans disrupted.
(edit)
Sit-in: A member of the Plane Stupid group chained to the fence
In a statement, Plane Stupid said the disruption had prevented 'the release of thousands of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere'.
(edit)
'We do not run a fortress, we run an airport. Security staff and police intercepted the protesters and no-one got on to the runway,' a spokesman said.
A statement from the airport added: 'We are happy to engage in serious debates on airport expansion, and we respect people's right to protest within the bonds of the law.
'However, any unlawful or irresponsible behaviour aimed at disrupting the smooth operation of the airport is unacceptable.
'People should engage in the relevant independent planning inquiries in an open, honest and safe way. We will, of course, investigate this incident and where there are lessons to learn we will do so.'
Chaos: Dozens of flights were cancelled or delayed because of the protest
(edit)
Finally: The first flight takes off as police bundle the protesters into a bus
'There is a great deal of anger at the impact these plans will have on the global climate and on local people's quality of life,' he said.
Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon announced last week that a decision on expansion at Heathrow - due before Christmas - had been postponed until next month.
The Tories are against a third runway at the west London airport and there have been rumours some Cabinet ministers are also unhappy at the plans.
Chained together?
Oh, that makes it so easy. One tow chain, one big ole SUV, drag them off. No fuss no muss.
Yes, they sure are. At least the Luddites were concerned about jobs and not simply bashing technology as a cornerstone of their religion.
Flights at Stansted were today grounded after at least 50 climate change protesters broke into the airport and occupied a runway.
Activists cut through fencing and once on the landing strip chained themselves together and surrounded themselves with their security fencing to create a ‘fort’.
What, there aren’t any bulldozers in the UK??
They shoulld have had the fire hoses, Alsatian dogs, pepper spray, and batons tuned up in fifteen minutes. Scratch that; they should have been machine gunned as soon as they broke the perimeter.
They shoulld have had the fire hoses, Alsatian dogs, pepper spray, and batons tuned up in fifteen minutes. Scratch that; they should have been machine gunned as soon as they broke the perimeter.
They shoulld have had the fire hoses, Alsatian dogs, pepper spray, and batons tuned up in fifteen minutes. Scratch that; they should have been machine gunned as soon as they broke the perimeter.
Visualize protesters being moved ...
Olivia Chessell is quite the ugly fat cow isn’t she?
