Climate protestors target air travellers
Source: John McArthur on Unsplash
*PLANE WRONG Extinction Rebellion protester boards plane at London City Airport and stops it taking off as eco-warriors bid to cause travel chaos
AN Extinction Rebellion protester managed to ground a flight from London City Airport today - to the fury of the passengers on board.The Aer Lingus flight to Dublin this morning was on the runway and about to take off when a smartly dressed man stood up and gave a lecture on climate change.
Filming himself on his phone, the man said: "I don't wish to travel with you, but I don't wish to get off".
He went on: "I'm extremely sorry for the inconvenience".
Furious passengers responded saying: "You're not sorry at all".
As their flight was held up, travellers pleaded with crew to remove the bespectacled man from the plane.
Continuing to address those on board, the man said: "We have two generations of human civilisation left if we carry on doing what we are doing".
Another passenger then asked him: "Why are you filming yourself?"
The man was later seen being led away from the aircraft by police officers.
The flight, scheduled to depart at 9.40am, was delayed by ten minutes.
Passenger Warren Swalbe tweeted: "Just about to take off from London City airport. Our flight was infiltrated by a climate change protester".
Nicholas Watt, the political editor of BBC Newsnight, wrote: "My flight from London City airport to Dublin has just been grounded by a climate change protestor. On runway and about to take off when smartly dressed man in late middle age stood up with iPhone to deliver lecture on climate change up and down aisle.
"Cabin crew calmly and very politely asked protester to resume his seat. Politely but persistently he declined and proceeded to deliver his lecture on climate change in aisle.
"Plane was at the end of runway. So the pilot taxied back to gate where plane was met by throng of police. They came on board and escorted the protester off the plane.
"The final irony of the climate protest on our flight. We cannot take off until we have taken on extra fuel...to replace the fuel used up during the protest, our pilot notes with humour".
Aer Lingus said the passenger was removed "due to disruptive behaviour on board" and a full security check of the aircraft was completed before the plane departed.
The climate change group started their three-day "Hong Kong-style" shut down of London City Airport this morning, gluing themselves to the terminal building and dancing on a roof - but ultimately failing to cancel flights.
The latest protest is against the climate impact of flying and the Government's ongoing support of airport expansion.
Hundreds of environmentalists attempted to block the entrance to the airport from the DLR by sitting together on the ground and singing "Fly today, gone tomorrow".
Activist Phil Kingston, 83, was among those arrested - the third time he has been arrested as part of Extinction Rebellion protests in the past week.
Protesters were seen being dragged out the airport by officers after failing to break through security into the terminal.
One was heard saying: "Please stop you're hurting me".
One activist climbed onto part of the roof of the terminal building where he was cheered by fellow protesters.
Standing on the roof, he bellowed down: "Shut the airport down! Rebellion!"
He then danced on the roof as a live band played clarinet music below.
Meanwhile 54-year-old James Brown, a former Paralympic athlete who won a bronze medal at London 2012, climbed on top of a British Airways plane.
Those arriving for flights were redirected to a second terminal entrance by security workers and were not allowed to enter the building without showing their boarding cards first.
Taxi driver Jason Lempiere said that the protests had disrupted his work in and around the city.
He said: "It's disturbing everyone's everyday life; working, travel in and out of the airport. Yeah, have a voice, but not disrupt people's lives like this".
Today's protest at City Airport is the fourth day of demonstrations by the climate change group.
Protesters have been camped on roads around Parliament Square and Whitehall since Monday calling for urgent action on climate change and wildlife.
The Metropolitan Police said 800 people have been arrested since the start of the Extinction Rebellion protests on Monday, including 91-year-old John Lynes yesterday.
They have confiscated eight ten-ton lorries worth of kit, including generators, power sources, toilets, tents and sleeping equipment.
A total of 500 cops from other forces from England and Wales have been brought in to help cope with the protests.
Disruption continued in the capital yesterday with stunts that included a mass breastfeeding near Parliament Square to "plead for the lives" of their children and a group yoga session outside Downing Street.
Police were also seen marching a giant octopus back to Trafalgar Square.
On Wednesday night, activists continued their protests in Trafalgar Square.
They were joined by Benedict Cumberbatch and Simon Amstell, while electronic music duo Disclosure and Orbital played a set.
In the wake of Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling the protesters "uncooperative crusties", his father Stanley Johnson said the comments were made in humour and he would consider it a compliment to be called a crusty by his son.
Defending the protest group's tactics today Mr Johnson Snr said: "I don't think many of them are breaking the law.
I believe that they are wedded to non-violence, to peaceful protest."
Click on the link at the end of the text to see the original article along with photographs and video.
What do you think of Extinction Rebellion's tactics?
Comments
I have just read this article and it looks like that The Sun laughs at Extinction Rebellion´s protesters. One thing is the environmentalism and the climate change and another to be a boring. This eco-warrior wants to ground travellers to get that the media speak about them. It´s unfair. You can have your own ideas and you can transmit to others, but it´s not compulsory that others think like you. The climate change is an excuse for protest. If there was not the environment, these people would protest because a seal has not slept well.
I agree with furious passenger saying: "You´re not sorry at all", because he was untrue. Why have passengers to waste ten minutes in their life? As well as the pilot said that crew had to replace the fuel used up during the protest, that is, the protesters spent fuel and wasted other´s time. Both things are bad to the environment.
Taxi drivers complained because the protests had disrupted their work. Protesters have been camped on roads around Parliament Square. Eco-warriors protested in Trafalgar Square at night to people around this place couldn´t sleep.
Therefore, the Metropolitan Police had to arrest 800 people and had to confiscate eight ten-ton lorries worth of kit, including generators, power sources, toilet, tent and sleeping equipment. As always, the Police has to force to obey the law, and for this reason they are bad. Always the protest is the peaceful protest and non-violence, they are good.
I think that we have to obey the law, always, that is good, democratic, modern, progressive, fair and then I don´t agree wit Extinction Rebellion´s tactics.
See you.
I think the tactics of these protesters have backfired. They are likely to turn the public against their cause.
I get the feeling that your "police - bad, protesters - good" comment may have a Catalan connection. To my mind, there is good and bad in any grouping.
I have just read this article and it looks like that The Sun is laughing at / making fun of Extinction Rebellion´s protesters. One thing is environmentalism and climate change and another to be a bore. This eco-warrior wants to ground travellers to get the media to speak about them. It´s unfair. You can have your own ideas and you can try to get your point across to others, but it´s not compulsory that others think like you. Climate change is an excuse to protest. If it was not the environment, these people would protest because a seal has not slept well.
I agree with the furious passenger who said "You´re not sorry at all", because he was right. Why do passengers have to waste ten minutes of their lives? The pilot also said that crew had to replace the fuel used up during the protest, that is, the protesters spent fuel and wasted other´s time. Both things are bad for the environment.
Taxi drivers complained because the protests had disrupted their work. Protesters have been camped on roads around Parliament Square. Eco-warriors protested in Trafalgar Square at night so that people who live around the square couldn´t sleep.
Therefore, the Metropolitan Police had to arrest 800 people and had to confiscate eight ten-ton lorries worth of kit, including generators, power sources, toilets, tents and sleeping equipment. As always, the Police has to use force to enforce the law, and for this reason they are bad. The protest is always peaceful and non-violent, so they are good.
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