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| Extinction Rebellion: Flight grounded as activists vow to 'shut down' airport | Extinction Rebellion: Flight grounded as activists vow to 'shut down' airport |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| An Extinction Rebellion activist had to be taken off a flight at London City Airport, as part of ongoing protests. | An Extinction Rebellion activist had to be taken off a flight at London City Airport, as part of ongoing protests. |
| BBC Newsnight's Nicholas Watt said his flight was about to take off when a protester refused to resume his seat. | BBC Newsnight's Nicholas Watt said his flight was about to take off when a protester refused to resume his seat. |
| Meanwhile, police made several arrests as activists blocked the main entrance to the airport, with some gluing themselves to the floor. | Meanwhile, police made several arrests as activists blocked the main entrance to the airport, with some gluing themselves to the floor. |
| In Westminster, tents and protesters have been cleared from the roads leading to Parliament Square. | In Westminster, tents and protesters have been cleared from the roads leading to Parliament Square. |
| However, streets around Parliament and Whitehall remain closed to traffic, apart from cyclists, with a heavy police presence in the area. | However, streets around Parliament and Whitehall remain closed to traffic, apart from cyclists, with a heavy police presence in the area. |
| It is the fourth day of the Extinction Rebellion climate change protests, which are taking place across central London and other major cities worldwide. | It is the fourth day of the Extinction Rebellion climate change protests, which are taking place across central London and other major cities worldwide. |
| Nicholas Watt said his flight from London City Airport to Dublin was at the end of the runway when a "smartly dressed man" stood up and began to walk down the aisle, delivering a lecture on climate change. | Nicholas Watt said his flight from London City Airport to Dublin was at the end of the runway when a "smartly dressed man" stood up and began to walk down the aisle, delivering a lecture on climate change. |
| Cabin crew "calmly and very politely" asked the protester to resume his seat and when he declined they alerted the pilots, Watt said in a tweet. | |
| He said the plane then taxied back to the gate, where police escorted the protester off the plane. | He said the plane then taxied back to the gate, where police escorted the protester off the plane. |
| Passengers were then able to reboard the flight, which has since taken off. | |
| Activists are attempting a three-day "Hong Kong-style occupation of the terminal building" to highlight what they claim is the "incompatibility" of the east London airport's planned £2bn expansion with meeting the government's legally-binding commitment to go net carbon neutral by 2050. | Activists are attempting a three-day "Hong Kong-style occupation of the terminal building" to highlight what they claim is the "incompatibility" of the east London airport's planned £2bn expansion with meeting the government's legally-binding commitment to go net carbon neutral by 2050. |
| Those arriving for flights were redirected to a second terminal entrance by security workers and were not allowed to enter the building without showing their boarding cards first. | Those arriving for flights were redirected to a second terminal entrance by security workers and were not allowed to enter the building without showing their boarding cards first. |
| Former Metropolitan Police detective John Curran was among those arrested, after he glued himself to the pavement outside the airport. | |
| A spokesman for London City Airport said as of 09:15 BST more than 60 flights which had either arrived or departed. | A spokesman for London City Airport said as of 09:15 BST more than 60 flights which had either arrived or departed. |
| "We continue to work closely with the Metropolitan Police to ensure the safe operation of the airport, which remains fully open and operational," he said. | "We continue to work closely with the Metropolitan Police to ensure the safe operation of the airport, which remains fully open and operational," he said. |
| The airport advised passengers to check the status of their flight before travelling. |