Extinction Rebellion – London City Airport Protest: Day 1 Rundown

By George Biggs
Yesterday, dozens of Extinction Rebellion protestors made a stand at London City Airport.
Most failed to get past security, instead pitching themselves at the main entrance. One protestor managed to climb out of reach of the police, shouting below, “shut this airport down!” to cheers and applause. Inside, some protestors were forcibly removed after a sit-in inside the airport.
Other groups superglued themselves at Docklands Light railway stations and chanted “fly today, gone tomorrow”. Police forcibly removed protestors.
Two planes were prevented from taking off.
The first was stopped by a passenger on the plane who explained, “I don’t wish to travel with you but I don’t wish to get off [the plane].” Footage from passengers shows how the man proceeded to deliver a lecture about climate change inaction and the urgency needed to save our dying world. The plane was moved away from the runaway, then a throng of police escorted the protestor off the plane peacefully.
A second plane was stopped by James Brown, a Paralympic medallist. The visually impaired athlete livestreamed himself on top of a plane. He bought a ticket to the Amsterdam-bound flight but didn’t plan on travelling. On the livestream, Brown expressed his fear of heights and how uncomfortable the cold made him but was determined to make a stand because “this is all about the climate and ecological crisis. We’re protesting at government inaction on climate and ecological breakdown. They declare climate emergency and do nothing about it.”
But the protest at London City Airport isn’t over: it’s expected to continue for the next two days.