Green campaigners held by police

Climate change protesters who chained themselves to the main gates of an airport were arrested by police.

The group of protesters from Plane Stupid - a group which campaigns against short-haul flights and airport expansion - blocked the entrance to Biggin Hill Airport in Kent just before 7am on Thursday.

The Metropolitan Police said 11 protesters were arrested under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act.

The former Second World War airfield, which is just 12 miles from the heart of London, is now used by wealthy businessmen as a gateway airport to London.

Richard George, the co-founder of Plane Stupid, said it was a protest against the super-rich who had their own planes and were not cutting their carbon emissions.

"These people say they will not only continue to fly, but they will fly in the most carbon inefficient way possible."

The blockade caused a long queue of luxury cars waiting to get into the airport to build up.

Police said about 15 members of climate change protest group Plane Stupid descended on the Battle of Britain airfield at 6.48am on Thursday and chained themselves to its main gates.

The leaders of Plane Stupid, who are Joss Garman, Leo Murray and John Stewart, have a High Court injunction against them banning them from entering Heathrow Airport from August 7 until August 31 this year.

One thousand, five hundred protesters have flocked to The Camp for Climate Action at the busiest airport in the world from last Tuesday until next Tuesday.

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1 Response to "Green campaigners held by police"

chris's picture

chris

Thu, 08/16/2007 - 12:48
<p><strong><u>Chris Gaynor</u></strong></p> Personally I think it is plain stupid that these people even think that they are going to achieve anything by holding up Heathrow. Im not saying I dont agree that we all need to do our bit to save the planet, but it does make me angry when the government do not take the lead and set an example on the issue. I also cannot believe that if we take the lead on climate change , the rest of the world will follow. I really dont see countries such as India and China wanting to stall their industrial revolution for the sake of a few carbon footprints!