Heathrow chaos as runway activists stage airport 'flash mob' protest

Heathrow chaos as runway activists stage airport 'flash mob' protest

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 5:39 PM on 17th January 2009

Hundreds of activists opposed to a third runway at Heathrow today staged a 'flash mob' protest at Terminal Five.

The action, which saw environmentalists gather with local residents and climate change groups at the airport, was the first major demonstration since the Government controversially gave the go-ahead for the expansion.

In a show of solidarity for the village of Sipson, campaigners said they were ready to move into homes facing destruction to pave the way for the new runway.

Leila Dean, 29, of campaign group Plane Stupid, said: 'We came here because we are supporting the 700 villagers who will lose their homes if the plans go ahead.'


Four topless female protesters lie on the floor in Heathrow's T5 to campaign against the Government's plans to build a third runway at the airport


Expansion row: Red T-shirt wearing protesters gather

The charity worker, from Kennington, south London, added: 'We are ready to move into their houses if the runway goes ahead but we don't think it's going to come to that because no one wants the runway.'

Demonstrators wearing red T-shirts emblazoned with the words 'Stop airport expansion' gathered at airport departures carrying banners and chanting: 'No third runway.'

Hemmed in by police, a group of female campaigners wearing red body-paint lay down on the ground with the words, 'simply no slaughter' printed on their stomachs.

Other demonstrators pelted a man dressed as transport secretary Geoff Hoon with sponges as he stood in make-shift stocks.


Geoff Hoon announced the decision to go ahead with a third runway at Heathrow on Thursday


Congo protest: Topless demonstrators splashed with red paint dance through terminal five to get their point across

Richard Howlett, 26, of Hackney, east London, said: 'We believe that Gordon Brown, with the decision he made this week, has put us on a runway for climate chaos.'

Dressed as the Prime Minister, complete with mask, the activist added: 'This is take off for climate chaos but we are going to stop that. Climate change urgently needs action and this is taking us in exactly the wrong direction.'


The action: Terminal five was packed with environmentalists, local residents and climate change groups in the first major demonstration since the Government gave the go-ahead for the expansion


In a show of solidarity for the village of Sipson, campaigners said they were ready to move into homes facing destruction to pave the way for the new runway

Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon announced the Government's decision on Thursday.

But today campaigners said they would continue to fight on, vowing to win the 'political war'.

Marina Pepper, of Climate Rush, said: 'Now the decision has been made, it is heart warming to see the broad base of opposition.

'I'm very much of the mind that the battle lines have been drawn and this is a political war, aligned, I hope, with a peaceful revolution.'

The 41-year-old activist from Brighton added: 'We are looking at a regime change at the next election. This third runway won't be built.'

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1120604/Heathrow-chaos-runway-activists-stage-airport-flash-mob-protest.html