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Climate activists target Heathrow airport as protests continue Extinction Rebellion to target Heathrow as protests continue
(32 minutes later)
Environmental campaigners are planning to disrupt Heathrow on Friday as they escalate their protests in an attempt to highlight the climate crisis and demand the government takes urgent action.Environmental campaigners are planning to disrupt Heathrow on Friday as they escalate their protests in an attempt to highlight the climate crisis and demand the government takes urgent action.
Activists, who have successfully blockaded four landmark sites in central London for the past four days, said they will target the airport at the start of the Easter bank holiday.Activists, who have successfully blockaded four landmark sites in central London for the past four days, said they will target the airport at the start of the Easter bank holiday.
On Thursday, Heathrow said it was working with authoritiesto deal with the threat of protests that could disrupt flights. On Thursday, Heathrow said it was working with authorities to deal with the threat of protests that could disrupt flights.
The home secretary, Sajid Javid, said more than 1,000 police officers have been deployed each day to deal with the demonstrations in the capital, as he urged the police to use the “full force of the law”. The home secretary, Sajid Javid, said more than 1,000 officers have been deployed each day to deal with the demonstrations in the capital, as he urged the police to use the “full force of the law”.
Scotland Yard said it had arrested at least 428 protesters at demonstrations across four locations in central London, comprising Waterloo Bridge, Marble Arch, Oxford Circus and Parliament Square. Scotland Yard said it had arrested at least 428 protesters at Waterloo Bridge, Marble Arch, Oxford Circus and Parliament Square.
Earlier on Thursday, three people were put on remand for a month after an Extinction Rebellion protest in which activists climbed on top of a train at Canary Wharf station in east London.Earlier on Thursday, three people were put on remand for a month after an Extinction Rebellion protest in which activists climbed on top of a train at Canary Wharf station in east London.
Cathy Eastburn, 51, from south London, Mark Ovland, 35, from Somerton in Somerset, and Luke Watson, 29, from Manuden in Essex, were charged with obstructing trains or carriages on the railway by an unlawful act, contrary to section 36 of the Malicious Damage Act 1861, over the protest on Wednesday that halted Docklands Light Railway (DLR) services.Cathy Eastburn, 51, from south London, Mark Ovland, 35, from Somerton in Somerset, and Luke Watson, 29, from Manuden in Essex, were charged with obstructing trains or carriages on the railway by an unlawful act, contrary to section 36 of the Malicious Damage Act 1861, over the protest on Wednesday that halted Docklands Light Railway (DLR) services.
Extinction Rebellion is an international protest group that uses non-violent civil disobedience to campaign on environmental issues. Demonstration have included blocking bridges to traffic in London and a semi-naked protest inside the House of Commons. Extinction Rebellion is an international protest group that uses non-violent civil disobedience to campaign on environmental issues. Demonstration have included blocking bridges to traffic in London and a semi-naked protest inside the House of Commons. 
The group says climate breakdown threatens all life on Earth, and so it is rebelling against politicians who 'have failed us', to provoke radical change that will stave off a climate emergency.The group says climate breakdown threatens all life on Earth, and so it is rebelling against politicians who 'have failed us', to provoke radical change that will stave off a climate emergency.
On Wednesday, the three pleaded not guilty at Highbury Corner magistrates court. The district judge, Julia Newton, denied the three bail and remanded them in custody to appear at Blackfriars crown court on 16 May. The maximum prison sentence under the charge is two years. On Wednesday, they pleaded not guilty at Highbury Corner magistrates court. The district judge, Julia Newton, denied the three bail and remanded them in custody to appear at Blackfriars crown court on 16 May. The maximum prison sentence under the charge is two years.
The move came as organisers promised to cause further disruption with swarming roadblocks on the streets of central London as the protest entered its fourth day, anticipating the arrival of reinforcements from Extinction Rebellion groups elsewhere in the country.The move came as organisers promised to cause further disruption with swarming roadblocks on the streets of central London as the protest entered its fourth day, anticipating the arrival of reinforcements from Extinction Rebellion groups elsewhere in the country.
On Thursday morning. activists reported that they were staging roadblocks on Vauxhall Bridge. They hope more Londoners, freed from the constraints of work by the long Easter weekend, will also join in. On Thursday morning, activists reported they were staging roadblocks on Vauxhall Bridge. They hope more Londoners, freed from the constraints of work by the long Easter weekend, will also join in.
On Thursday afternoon, police continued to enforce their section 14 order in Oxford Circus. Under the order, protesters have been told they can continue their demonstration at Marble Arch.On Thursday afternoon, police continued to enforce their section 14 order in Oxford Circus. Under the order, protesters have been told they can continue their demonstration at Marble Arch.
The Guardian watched as police carried away one protester after another, while crowds chanted “tell the truth” and “we love you” as each demonstrator was taken away.The Guardian watched as police carried away one protester after another, while crowds chanted “tell the truth” and “we love you” as each demonstrator was taken away.
No music played from the stage in the early afternoon, but speakers addressed the crowd through a megaphone and drummers played rhythms to accompany every cheer.No music played from the stage in the early afternoon, but speakers addressed the crowd through a megaphone and drummers played rhythms to accompany every cheer.
Emmy Stocking, 35, a landscape gardener from Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, was handing out free food from a tent. “So far it’s just been lovely vibes,” she said. “Police have been arresting people but the atmosphere is awesome.”Emmy Stocking, 35, a landscape gardener from Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, was handing out free food from a tent. “So far it’s just been lovely vibes,” she said. “Police have been arresting people but the atmosphere is awesome.”
The Extinction Rebellion protest is inspired. But what comes next? | Polly ToynbeeThe Extinction Rebellion protest is inspired. But what comes next? | Polly Toynbee
It was quiet at the Marble Arch site on Thursday, where activists have been camping all week. A woman played acoustic guitar and sang folk songs from the solar-powered stage while passersby visited information stands or had clothes printed with Extinction Rebellion logos.It was quiet at the Marble Arch site on Thursday, where activists have been camping all week. A woman played acoustic guitar and sang folk songs from the solar-powered stage while passersby visited information stands or had clothes printed with Extinction Rebellion logos.
The protests have continued despite police imposing conditions at three of the four sites where protesters have blocked traffic since Monday. Parliament Square, which was partially seized by police after they appeared in large numbers early on Wednesday evening, was retaken later the same night by protesters who arrived with a samba band and re-established roadblocks.The protests have continued despite police imposing conditions at three of the four sites where protesters have blocked traffic since Monday. Parliament Square, which was partially seized by police after they appeared in large numbers early on Wednesday evening, was retaken later the same night by protesters who arrived with a samba band and re-established roadblocks.
Bing Jones, 66, a retired NHS doctor from Sheffield, said: “It’s remarkable, because there was an absolute troop of police marching in military style in a great long line. But lots of us lay down on each roadblock and managed to hold three of the five exit points from the square. It was quite exciting because they came in such numbers that it looked as if they were going to swamp us. In Parliament Square on Thursday, protesters had reinforced their lockdown protests. One group had attached a coffin to a safety rope holding a man up in a large tree outside the supreme court. If the coffin were moved, the safety rope would fail.
“They took a certain number [of activists], then looked at the number of us and left. I think that’s the story of Extinction Rebellion: the police come, they have a policy to arrest, they arrest and arrest and arrest, then they just can’t take any more; they look at the quantity of people waiting to be arrested and then they just give up. Dav, 40, from Bristol, who built the contraption, said: “I learned to do this on a tree protest in Tasmania, where we were protecting old grove rain forests from logging corporations, and we have adapted it numerous times around the planet.
The Guardian view on climate change campaigners: suited or superglued, we need them all | Editorial “This is the most lo-fi version of it I’ve done, and it just suited the need of blocking the road with just one piece of rope.
“It was then just so wonderful because the police suddenly evaporated, but there were still lots of us and we had a samba band and lots of supporting people who arrived. As the night wore on there were so few of them that we were able to retake the two junctions … so we basically control Parliament Square again.” #ExtinctionRebellion protesters have beefed up their lock down fortifications at #ParliamentSquareThis coffin is attached to a safety rope holding a man up a large tree outside the supreme court. If the coffin is moved, the safety rope will fail.#RebelForLife pic.twitter.com/qdtvuryy2N
Police have come under heavy criticism for apparently targeting legal observers – volunteers who collect evidence on protesters’ behalf during interactions with officers – as they worked on the bridge. The Guardian witnessed officers pointing out the observers, who wear orange tabards, before moving in to serve them with notice to leave. “It was then just so wonderful because the police suddenly evaporated, but there were still lots of us and we had a samba band and lots of supporting people who arrived.
One observer, Stu Daniel, from Devon, who was arrested on Tuesday, said he had never seen police target legal observers before. “We are impartial in our note-taking,” he said. “We aim to facilitate a peaceful arrest process for activists choosing to take that step. We are a strong symbol and a deterrent for the very rare but occasional occurrence of heavy-handed police behaviour and, equally, can provide a reminder were there to be any slips from [Extinction Rebellion’s] non-violent protocol in protester behaviour.” “As the night wore on there were so few of them that we were able to retake the two junctions … so we basically control Parliament Square again.”
Police have come under heavy criticism for apparently targeting legal observers – volunteers who collect evidence on protesters’ behalf during interactions with officers – as they worked on Waterloo Bridge. The Guardian witnessed officers pointing out the observers, who wear orange tabards, before moving in to serve them with notice to leave.
One observer, Stu Daniel, from Devon, who was arrested on Tuesday, said he had never seen police target legal observers before. “We are impartial in our note-taking,” he said. “We aim to facilitate a peaceful arrest process for activists choosing to take that step.
“We are a strong symbol and a deterrent for the very rare but occasional occurrence of heavy-handed police behaviour and, equally, can provide a reminder were there to be any slips from [Extinction Rebellion’s] non-violent protocol in protester behaviour.”
Extinction RebellionExtinction Rebellion
Environmental activismEnvironmental activism
Heathrow airportHeathrow airport
ProtestProtest
LondonLondon
Air transportAir transport
TransportTransport
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