Protesters blockade at Stansted airport

worldtraveller

Flights at Stansted airport have been delayed after more than 50 protesters occupied a secure area near the runway.

Climate action group Plane Stupid said it started the protest at 0315 GMT by breaching security as the runway was closed for maintenance work.

The runway has been kept closed as a precaution, delaying the first flights which were scheduled for about 0600 GMT, the Essex airport said.

BBC News

ceridwen

:T :T :T

Yay! Go for it Plane Stupid....good one. Keep up the good work - and thats one of the "silver linings" to the economic cloud that people will be planning on flying less anyway.

I note the comment from one of the protestors "We're here because our parents generation has failed us and its now down to young people to stop climate change by whatever peaceful means we have left". That is actually a very true comment. I am old enough to be her mother - and I would be proud of her for what she is doing. It is true that my generation has taken the best of everything - never mind whats left.

There are many in my generation who heartily agree with this - but find ourselves with too much to lose/jobs to hold down and we arent as free to take action against things like airport expansion. But that doesnt mean we arent there in spirit - as we are.

withabix

I wonder how many of them are actually employed and contributing to the economy (or ever have)...

Lock them up I say.

Terrorism Act might even be suitable for this, as they are airside without permission and have broken in to gain access.

Whatever law is used, they could be looking at some pretty decent prison sentences.

They are criminals and need to be treated like any other criminal.

They should also have their assets sequestered (if they've got any) and used to pay the costs being incurred through the closure of the airport and diversion of flights.

amcluesent

>I wonder how many of them are actually employed <

They all look chinless wonders living on daddy's trust-fund.

Simple steps -

1) Ask them to leave.
2) Any remaining get the high-pressure fire-houses turned on them. Bit nippy to be soaking wet!
3) Any remaining get tear-gassed
4) Any remaining get Tazered

Then they all need to 'fall down the stairs' while in custody!:D

sturll

I wonder how many of them get the bus/drive home

But that's ok.

sturll

ceridwen wrote: »

:T :T :T

Yay! Go for it Plane Stupid....good one. Keep up the good work - and thats one of the "silver linings" to the economic cloud that people will be planning on flying less anyway.

I note the comment from one of the protestors "We're here because our parents generation has failed us and its now down to young people to stop climate change by whatever peaceful means we have left". That is actually a very true comment. I am old enough to be her mother - and I would be proud of her for what she is doing. It is true that my generation has taken the best of everything - never mind whats left.

There are many in my generation who heartily agree with this - but find ourselves with too much to lose/jobs to hold down and we arent as free to take action against things like airport expansion. But that doesnt mean we arent there in spirit - as we are.

I'm not. I personally think its a load of b*****s and i would love to see the police come and arrest them for public disorder and disturbing the peace.
These muppets don't realise that IF climate change exists planes only account for a miniscule amount and not only that but whilst they are sat going no where on the tar mac they are burning more fuel than they would have.

An as for being proud? Why? Because she is clearly a tree hugger with nothing better to do than hug pieces of grass and no doubt smoke it. If that would make you proud as a parent i fail to see how your children would aspire to be anything since you have set the bar really low. Me - id be proud of my son working 9 - 5 and supporting a family, or getting his degree, or playing at Super League level RL. Not if he went and hugged a tree everytime someone farted.

Its ridiculous.

Incapuppy

It's ok, they won't get away - Phatbear's sat on 'em :rotfl:

Moonchild

There's a big chunk of me that heartily agrees with them and the actions they are taking, as it's for the right reasons. Strong enough to back up their beliefs with strong, direct action. Turns out I went to school with a couple of them, and you'd find most of them to be educated, middle class, with good jobs, so hardly unemployed layabouts.

However the simple truth is that they have disrupted holidays, honeymoons, curtailed business which is unacceptable.

So therefore I think the only acceptable thing would have been to leave the airport open, and see how firm their beliefs are laying on tarmac with a Ryanair 737 coming straight for them every 3 minutes.

withabix

Moonchild wrote: »

and you'd find most of them to be educated, middle class, with good jobs, so hardly unemployed layabouts.

...and so benefitting every day, directly or indirectly, from the very thing they are protesting against :rolleyes:

or do they all walk and swim to their chosen holiday destinations and places of work, avoid out-of-season fruit and veg....etc

Inactive

I wonder how many of them drove up/down the M11 to get there?

phatbear

Incapuppy wrote: »

It's ok, they won't get away - Phatbear's sat on 'em :rotfl:

Ermmm cheers for that!!!

Alas im not in till later so the fun would have died down by then, I got a text about this in the wee small hours however they seem to have gone to a lot of trouble why didnt they just pay for a cheap ryanair flight and then instead of walking onto the plane they just wander off when they walk across the tarmac to the waiting aircraft, no need for bolt cutters etc and there timing is pants too, aircraft dont start fliying, apart from freighters, till 5'ish, therefore their disruption would be minimal.


Mind you i think they are wary of public perception and therefore probably didnt want to upset too many people by affecting too many flights, anyway god bless the tree huggers as they make the rest of us, even me, seem that tad more sane.

all the best

the bear