Nine Just Stop Oil activists arrested at Heathrow as part of a Europe-wide campaign against flights

24 July 2024, 11:13 | Updated: 24 July 2024, 12:39

Nine Just Stop Oil protesters were arrested outside Heathrow Airport as part of a Europe-wide campaign threatening summer travel chaos.

The protesters were arrested at 9am at two locations outside the UK’s busiest airport as climate activists across Europe tried to disrupt air traffic.

The Metropolitan Police said it had “prevented significant disruption to the airport and travelling public”.

Just Stop Oil activists have vowed to use all means "necessary" to disrupt flights as part of this latest campaign.

The protests were part of a coordinated campaign which also targeted airports in Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Norway and Finland.

Demonstrators at Cologne Bonn Airport glued themselves to the runway causing chaos for travellers.

"That was just the beginning today. Over the next few weeks we will repeat this in Germany, Europe and globally," a member of the Last Generation activist group said in a media briefing.

Just Stop Oil added that supporters of Folk Mot Fossilmakta (People against Fossil Power) cut through a chain-link fence and sat next to a runway stopping flights departing from Oslo Gardermoen airport.

In Switzerland, eleven activists have blocked main roads around both Zurich and Geneva airport.

Five eco activists for Futuro Vegetal in Spain accessed the taxiway at Barcelona airport but were intercepted before they could take action.

The Met Police said in a statement: "Nine Just Stop Oil activists have been arrested this morning for conspiring to disrupt Heathrow Airport. 

"Thanks to the work of officers involved, those arrested have been taken into custody and the Met has prevented significant disruption to the airport and travelling public."

A Heathrow spokesman said: "Thanks to swift action from the police and airport colleagues, there is no disruption to passenger journeys. Heathrow continues to operate as normal today.'We are in full agreement that the aviation industry needs to decarbonise, but unlawful and irresponsible protest activity will not be tolerated."

A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said: “We refuse to die for fossil fuels. Continued burning of oil, gas and coal, as we pass irreversible tipping points that threaten to spin our climate out of control in a rapidly accelerating way, is jeopardising the stability on which our entire society depends.

“This is not only irresponsible, it is an act of war against low lying island states and countries in the global south, who are already suffering devastating consequences as a result of our addiction to fossil fuels.

“Our political leaders must take action to protect our communities by working with other nations to establish a legally binding treaty to stop the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030.”

Sally Davidson, who was arrested at Heathrow Airport, said: “Our new government must take swift and meaningful action to end the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030, by establishing a legally binding treaty to phase out fossil fuels. Anything less is a death sentence.”

Adam Beard, who was also arrested added: “We need immediate and decisive action to prevent the worst effects of the climate crisis becoming reality, with all the death and suffering that will bring. Our government must work with other nations to enact a treaty to end the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030.”