News: Environmental protesters storm Manchester airport
Flights > News > # 1511 (09/10/2007)
Anti-aviation anarchists blockaded a security check-point at Manchester Airport yesterday morning.
The seven protesters, including a local Green Party councillor, targeted the airport’s domestic terminal in a bid to raise awareness of the impact flights have on the environment. They used chains, glue and plastic pipes to lock themselves together and to fasten themselves to the security gate.
Police were called to the Terminal 3 check-in hall at 7.30am because of fears that the anarchists’ blockade could lead to angry scenes if passengers were delayed. No flights were held up as a result of the protest, although passengers faced longer queues as they had to be diverted via other security gates.
The activists from groups called Manchester Climate Action and Manchester Plane Stupid unfurled a banner which read `Domestic Flights Cost the Earth'. They have accused Manchester council, which owns a 55 per cent stake in the airport, of hypocrisy over its `Green City' initiative. The airport plans to double passenger numbers to 50 million by 2030.
Green Party councillor Vanessa Hall, who took part in the protest, told the Manchester Evening News: "It's environmental and economic lunacy to consider any expansion of aviation. We can't be a Green City with an expanding airport.
"I am blocking domestic flights to highlight the true cost of flying and to call the council into account for their hypocrisy."
Another protester told the paper it is no longer “socially acceptable” to fly from Manchester to London.
A police spokesman said officers monitored the protest and helped airport staff arrange alternative routes for passengers to get into the departure lounge.
An airport spokesman said: "There have been no delays and there has been no attempt to breach security.
"We believe that passengers have the right to make these choices, but climate change is a serious issue and aviation contributes to it.
"However, there are more mature ways of working to solve this than blocking people who have paid for flights."
The protest ended after the campaigners released themselves from their shackles at 10am.
Add to:
Related Airports:
