Climate protesters threaten Heathrow Airport ‘shutdown’ after 460 arrests
Written by News on 18/04/2019
Climate change protesters plan to “shut down” Heathrow Airport tomorrow as hundreds of thousands of passengers prepare to jet off over the Easter weekend.
The group Extinction Rebellion, which has held four days of “non-violent civil disobedience” action across London, revealed its next move was to target the aviation industry.
It comes as more than 460 people have been arrested and three activists appeared in court for allegedly obstructing a train.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid has urged police to “use the full force of the law” to evict protesters who he accused of “causing misery” for commuters.
Meanwhile, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has attacked the government for funding cuts that lead to police numbers falling.
Extinction Rebellion announced it planned to abandon “swarming” in central London – intermittently blocking key roads – to “raise the bar” at Heathrow.
“There is a deep remorse for those whose holiday and family plans will be disrupted tomorrow,” the group said in a statement.
“It is not our intention to cause further separation.
“However, the aviation industry needs to be targeted and we are all aware of the deep, structural change that needs to come.”
It has vowed continuous action until its three demands are met: the government “telling the truth” about how “deadly our situation is”, cut carbon emissions to net zero by 2025 and create a “citizens’ assembly” to oversee the changes.
Heathrow Airport is already “working with the authorities” to address any protests which could “disrupt the airport”.
A spokesperson said: “While we respect the right to peaceful protest and agree with the need to act on climate change, we don’t agree that passengers should have their well-earned Easter break holiday plans with family and friends disrupted.
“Passengers should contact their airlines for up-to-date information on their journeys.”
Around 247,000 people are estimated to be flying in or out of the airport on Friday.
The home secretary has insisted everyone has a right to protest peacefully – but condemned activists who were “stepping outside the boundaries of the law”.
Speaking after a briefing with the head of the Metropolitan Police, he said: “We are a proud democracy – and no one should be allowed to break the law without consequence.”
He has been warned by Mr Khan that the government could be asked to foot the bill for the cost of policing this week’s protests.
Police chiefs earlier rapped their own officers for dancing with some of the protesters.
After footage of it emerged, Commander Jane Connors said she was “disappointed” by “the unacceptable behaviour” of some officers.
She added: “We expect our officers to engage with protesters but clearly their actions fall short of the tone of the policing operation at a time when people are frustrated at the actions of the protesters.”
The protests have seen Oxford Circus and Waterloo Bridge targeted, with both areas grinding to a standstill.
A police order came into effect in the early hours of Tuesday restricting demonstrations to an area in Marble Arch.
Actress Emma Thompson joined the protest, sending a message to the government that “there is no more time – you can’t lie and you can’t stall any longer, and we will occupy until you take action because that is the only we are going to save our planet”.
Three people have been charged with obstructing trains or carriages at Canary Wharf – Cathy Eastburn, of Gerards Close in Lambeth, south London, Mark Ovland, of Keinton Mandeville, Somerton, Somerset, and Luke Watson, from Manuden in Essex,
A judge referred the trio’s case to Blackfriars Crown Court on 16 May and denied them bail.
(c) Sky News 2019: Climate protesters threaten Heathrow Airport ‘shutdown’ after 460 arrests
