Climate protesters delay flights at Scottish airport
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
SCOTLAND, Mar 3 (AP): Climate-change protesters disrupted flights at Scotland's Aberdeen airport Tuesday after cutting through a perimeter fence and barricading themselves on a taxiway.
Campaign group Plane Stupid said seven of its members had broken through the fence and locked themselves inside a "wire fortress" on a helicopter taxiway in the early hours.
Two protesters also unfurled banners on a terminal building, airport operator BAA said.
A BAA spokeswoman said the airport was open but flights to London, Paris and Amsterdam had been affected.
"There have been two cancellations and some flights to and from the airport have been delayed due to the action," she said.
A similar protest by Plane Stupid shut down London's Stansted Airport for several hours in December.
Flights to and from Aberdeen Airport have been delayed as a result of the security breach by members of the Plane Stupid campaign group.
After talks with police, seven of the protesters gave themselves up six hours after the demonstration began - but two others remain on the roof of the terminal building.
A Grampian Police spokesman said: "We can confirm that following a dialogue between police officers and some of the protesters, seven people have released themselves from their position on the runway and have been taken into police custody.
"Two protesters remain on the airport terminal building roof. Work continues to peacefully resolve the protest."
Plane Stupid said the activists broke through the perimeter fence at about 2am Tuesday in protest against the airport's expansion plans and the resulting increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
The group added that the activists were dressed as golfers in the style of US property tycoon Donald Trump, who is planning to build a major international golf resort in the area and supports the expansion of the airport.
Campaign group Plane Stupid said seven of its members had broken through the fence and locked themselves inside a "wire fortress" on a helicopter taxiway in the early hours.
Two protesters also unfurled banners on a terminal building, airport operator BAA said.
A BAA spokeswoman said the airport was open but flights to London, Paris and Amsterdam had been affected.
"There have been two cancellations and some flights to and from the airport have been delayed due to the action," she said.
A similar protest by Plane Stupid shut down London's Stansted Airport for several hours in December.
Flights to and from Aberdeen Airport have been delayed as a result of the security breach by members of the Plane Stupid campaign group.
After talks with police, seven of the protesters gave themselves up six hours after the demonstration began - but two others remain on the roof of the terminal building.
A Grampian Police spokesman said: "We can confirm that following a dialogue between police officers and some of the protesters, seven people have released themselves from their position on the runway and have been taken into police custody.
"Two protesters remain on the airport terminal building roof. Work continues to peacefully resolve the protest."
Plane Stupid said the activists broke through the perimeter fence at about 2am Tuesday in protest against the airport's expansion plans and the resulting increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
The group added that the activists were dressed as golfers in the style of US property tycoon Donald Trump, who is planning to build a major international golf resort in the area and supports the expansion of the airport.