Extinction Rebellion Heathrow Airport protest: Climate activist group to vote next week on new two-week shut-down

XR will vote on plans to disrupt Heathrow Airport next week
PA
Katy Clifton4 July 2019

Extinction Rebellion members are set to vote on fresh plans to shut down Heathrow Airport this autumn.

According to leaked documents seen by Huffington Post, the climate activist group plans to cause mass disruption “day after day” at the UK’s busiest airport over two weeks in a bid to stop flights.

The group is pushing forward with a revised plan for disruption after initial plans for June were postponed.

An Extinction Rebellion spokesman told the Standard there are currently plans being discussed for disruption at Heathrow and "they will be decided on next week”.

“It is one of many plans being discussed and it is ongoing,” he said.

Extinction Rebellion protesters
Getty Images

He said there would be two months’ notice after any decision is made regarding disruption at the airport to “give people planning on travelling plenty of notice”.

The Huffington Post reports the new plans involve drones being flown away from Heathrow’s designated flight paths in a bid to ensure “non-violent action” and a hotline to police being opened.

The site quotes the plans as saying: “There is the opportunity to transform the humble drone into a David which allows us to stop the Goliath of Heathrow and the global aviation industry from destroying us.”

Extinction Rebellion confirmed the leaked document was real to Huffington Post and said the group had reflected on its initial plans, adding that the new proposals aim to minimise disruption for travellers.

Heathrow Airport
PA Archive/PA Images

Drones will reportedly be flown no higher than six feet, weigh less than 7kg and, although avoiding Heathrow’s designated flight paths, will be flown within a 5km no-drone zone.

In a statement regarding the initial plans in June, the group said: “The airport authorities and the general public be given two months’ advance notice of the start date and time of any planned action.

“Above all, this notice period provides an appropriate period for the authorities to safely plan the closure of the airport for the duration of the action. We hope it also provides members of the general public with sufficient time to seek alternative travel arrangements if necessary.

“Our actions are nonviolent and proportionate to the emergency that we find ourselves in.”

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A spokesman for Heathrow Airport said they “agree with the need to act on climate change” and said it has invited members of the climate activist group to meet with airport officials.

It added: “This is a global issue that requires constructive engagement and action. Committing criminal offences and disrupting passengers is counterproductive.

“The act of flying drones within 5km of an airfield is illegal because it carries risk. We will be working closely with the Met Police and other authorities to manage and mitigate the impacts if this activity goes ahead.”

A spokeswoman for Metropolitan Police added: "The Metropolitan Police Service is determined to play its part in keeping the airspace over London’s airports safe for the thousands of planes flying in and out every week.

"Anyone caught illegally using a drone within the proximity of an airport can expect to be dealt with in line with the law. If flown into the path of an aircraft, a drone has the potential to cause great harm to those on board.

"Affecting the safety of aircraft passengers is very different to blocking roads around London, and should this happen, the consequences will reflect the severity of the offence.

"The illegal use of drones at airports also has the capability to cause great disruption to the public, not only in London, but internationally. Airports are part of our national infrastructure, and the MPS will not allow disruption and misery to be inflicted on thousands.

"We always endeavour to engage with protest organisers in order to balance the right to protest, while ensuring Londoners can go about their business without disruption."

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