Travel misery for thousands at London City Airport as ‘Black Lives Matter eco-protestors’ take over runway causing delays and cancellations
FLIGHTS from London City Airport have seen massive disruption causing travel chaos for thousands after Black Lives Matter protesters took over the runway.
Scores of outgoing flights were cancelled or delayed, leaving travellers stranded in the terminal, while planes due to land were hastily diverted to other airports.
Nine 'activists' chained themselves to a tripod on the runway at London City Airport
Black Lives Matter claimed responsibility for the occupation, saying activists targeted the airport "to protest the UK's environmental impact on black people".
Nine activists from the anti-racist group managed to get airside and block planes from taking off and landing in a major security breach.
It is believed the demonstrators gained access to the runway by sailing across Royal Docks in an inflatable dinghy.
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All those involved have now been arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass, being unlawfully airside and breaching London City Airport bylaws.
Police announced that the protesters have been removed from the runway, with cops earlier saying they would be taken to East London Police stations.
A spokesman for the airport said: "The protestors have now been removed. We are preparing the airfield to resume operations as soon as possible."
But it is not clear how long until a normal service resumes, or what will happen to the thousands of passengers whose flights had already been cancelled.
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A spokesman for the Met said: "At 05:40hrs on Tuesday, 6 September, officers were alerted to a number of protesters who had made their way airside at London City Airport.
"Nine people erected a tripod and locked themselves together on the runway.
"Officers negotiated with the protestors and specialist officers arrived to 'unlock' the protestors.
"At approximately 09:30hrs officers started to arrest the protesters."
The spokesman added: "All have now been removed from the runway and taken into police custody."
Pictures from inside the airport showed chaos after the airport was closed to incoming flights.
Queues of frustrated passengers could be seen waiting in the terminal for updates as the saga dragged on for six hours.
Flights to Geneva, Guernsey, New York and Zurich were among those cancelled.
And planes due to land from Rotterdam, Luxembourg, Frankfurt and other destinations were all diverted to nearby airports such as London Gatwick.
Why are Black Lives Matter targeting City Airport?
- The group are angry about what they say are the disproportionate effects of climate change on Black people
- They said many of the countries which suffer from the effects of global warming are in Africa
- The group claim London city airport only serves a “small elite”, adding that “black people are the first to die, not the first to fly, in this racist climate crisis”
- Black Lives Matter compared the plight of refugees crossing the Mediterranean to people flying from the airport
- A statement from the group said people using the airport earned more money than the black people in the nearby area, who couldn’t afford to use it
- The statement read: “The average salary of a London City Airport user is €136,000 (£113,800) and 63% of them work in business, finance or other business services. It is an airport designed for the wealthy. At the same time 40% of Newham's population struggle to survive on £20,000 or less.”
Michael McMillan, who was due fly this morning, said: "Due to a demonstration at London City Airport our flight has been cancelled.
“We can't leave for another four hours – the joys of international travel!"
Black Lives Matter’s UK branch sent out a series of tweets since the protest began earlier this morning, going into more detail on their apparent reasons for targeting the airport.
They wrote: “Climate crisis is a racist crisis. 7/10 of the countries most affected by climate change are in sub-Saharan Africa.”
“The UK is the biggest per-capita contributor to temperature change & among the least vulnerable to its affects.
“At London City Airport a small elite is able to fly, in 2016 alone 3,176 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean #Shutdown.
“By 2050 there will be 200 million climate refugees. Black people are the first to die, not the first to fly, in this racist climate crisis.”
It is not the first time the group has targeted transport networks.
Exactly a month ago, Black Lives Matter demonstrators chained themselves together and blocked access to Heathrow and Birmingham airports.
Thousands of families faces travel chaos as they tried to catch their flights at the height of holiday season.
Demonstrators also lay down in front of trams in Nottingham City Centre – and even delayed an ambulance on its way to hospital in Birmingham.
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