Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Destinations > Europe > U.K. and Ireland
Reload this Page >

Extinction Rebellion eco protesters threaten to 'shut down' Heathrow airport

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

Extinction Rebellion eco protesters threaten to 'shut down' Heathrow airport

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 18, 2019, 9:25 am
  #31  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: QF, TK, VA, SQ
Posts: 695
We're flying out (T5) tomorrow morning, very much hope that (like the threats to bring the tube to its knees) it's not followed through successfully.
pythonisman is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2019, 9:31 am
  #32  
Moderator: Hyatt Gold Passport & Star Alliance
 
Join Date: May 1998
Location: London, UK
Programs: UA-1K 3MM/HY- LT Globalist/BA-GGL/GfL
Posts: 12,085
Originally Posted by SteveF


Not today they weren’t. A bunch of them
were refused bail today and remanded until 14 May. Their lawyer said that it was disproportionate, which I thought was a bit rich considering that his clients have been screwing up London for a week and plan to continue doing so.
That's interesting - I presume on the basis of the commission of further offenses. It's hard to deny bail unless it's very serious these days. And a month on remand is more than they are likely to get in a sentence!
Markie is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2019, 9:35 am
  #33  
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,140
Originally Posted by Agent69
If there are 20 people lying in the middle of the road causing an obstrutction then the polce should be straight in there and drag them out the way, not talking to them politely asking them if they would mind moving.

The reason these people do what they do is because they know they will not be called to account for their actions. It's like people getting drunk and disrupting a flight. They get a good talking to and that's about it. If they were made to pay the true financial cost of their actions, they wouldn't cause trouble in the first place.
In an ideal world yes and I agree in general with the above but the thin blue line is extremely thin. It takes 3/4 officers to deal with one and carry them and with so many I suspect other tactics will have been deployed like filming them and doing a post operation to prosecute.

As for drunks disrupting flights I think it's generally well reported the more extreme cases they're dealt with quite firmly and robustly by the courts.

Originally Posted by SteveF
Not today they weren’t. A bunch of them
were refused bail today and remanded until 14 May. Their lawyer said that it was disproportionate, which I thought was a bit rich considering that his clients have been screwing up London for a week and plan to continue doing so.
That's good to hear ^
PETER01 is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2019, 9:36 am
  #34  
Community Director
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Norwich, UK
Programs: A3*G, BA Gold, BD Gold (in memoriam), IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 8,476
Heathrow has now pushed a message out to app users:

Heathrow is aware of possible protest activity at the airport during the Easter weekend.

While we respect the right to peaceful protest and agree with the need to act on climate change, we don't agree that passengers should have their well-earned Easter Break holiday plans with family and friends disrupted.

Passengers should contact their airlines for up to date information on their journeys.
DeathSlam likes this.
NWIFlyer is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2019, 9:38 am
  #35  
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,140
Duplicate
PETER01 is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2019, 10:04 am
  #36  
amt
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: HKG
Programs: BA GGL & CCR
Posts: 600
Interesting... these are the same left-wing folks usually out in force complaining of double standards against minorities committing an act of terrorism(shutting down an airport) and calling it a protest...
amt is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2019, 10:15 am
  #37  
amt
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: HKG
Programs: BA GGL & CCR
Posts: 600
Originally Posted by PETER01
In an ideal world yes and I agree in general with the above but the thin blue line is extremely thin. It takes 3/4 officers to deal with one and carry them and with so many I suspect other tactics will have been deployed like filming them and doing a post operation to prosecute.
As I reiterate... shutting down an airport, causing mass disruption, creating a situation where the security arrangements and personnel cannot maintain airport operations without putting the lives of passengers in danger... act of terrorism.

Call in the army and take a heavy handed approach.





BAGoldBoy, T8191, PJSMITH0 and 1 others like this.
amt is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2019, 10:35 am
  #38  
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: RDU
Posts: 5,239
I feel sorry for you guys. I should be sympathetic to this protest group, however, I don't understand the reasons for causing inconvenience to the public on a massive scale. Someone tell me how these protests are going to convince the public to do something.
bostonkarl likes this.
zitsky is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2019, 10:37 am
  #39  
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: TPA/ABZ
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold. GGL/CCR.
Posts: 13,248
Originally Posted by Agent69
  • Donald Trump denies that climate change exists. Why not glue yourself to the entrance to his Scottish golf course
Not tomorrow please. I have a tee time in the morning!
golfmad is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2019, 11:37 am
  #40  
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Unio Europaea
Programs: BA GGL, AS, Hertz Cirque Présidentielle
Posts: 1,445
Originally Posted by Worcester
For the life of me I can not understand the point of disrupting low carbon light railway commuting.
I was pretty amused to see the news about it. It says a lot about the logic of the average participant in these endeavours. Also obstructing the TfL bus netwok is pretty genious. The core problem with any tirades like this is that there's usually no meaningful way to appease these masses. It's not a negotiationable standoff.

As for the biggest sources of pollution - well, for "some" reason these merry citizens of yours prefer London over Beijing. I wonder why they don't venture there...
EuropeanPete likes this.
Flying Yazata is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2019, 11:49 am
  #41  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,145
Terrorism is the use or threat of action, both in and outside of the UK, designed to influence any international government organisation or to intimidate the public. It must also be for the purpose of advancing a political, religious, racial or ideological cause.
Hmmm ... I wonder?

https://www.cps.gov.uk/terrorism
PJSMITH0 likes this.
T8191 is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2019, 11:53 am
  #42  
TBD
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: TPA
Programs: All The Programs
Posts: 2,204
1: Doing this on a holiday targets leisure travelers - surely the people they are more likely to want to recruit - rather than the business travelers who (presumably) are the intended targets. Seems shortsighted.

2: As a private entity, doesn't Heathrow have more power to deal with protesters than the police in London so far who have "sat on their hands"? Heathrow's security decisions aren't subject to political review.
TBD is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2019, 12:00 pm
  #43  
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: RDU
Posts: 5,239
Originally Posted by Flying Yazata
I was pretty amused to see the news about it. It says a lot about the logic of the average participant in these endeavours. Also obstructing the TfL bus netwok is pretty genious. The core problem with any tirades like this is that there's usually no meaningful way to appease these masses. It's not a negotiationable standoff.

As for the biggest sources of pollution - well, for "some" reason these merry citizens of yours prefer London over Beijing. I wonder why they don't venture there...
Do all the protestors ride bikes everywhere or plug in hybrids using clean electricity?
Silver Fox likes this.
zitsky is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2019, 12:44 pm
  #44  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: SNA
Programs: MARRIOTT TITANIUM / HILTON GOLD / UA SILVER / AMEX PLAT
Posts: 609
Originally Posted by T8191
@irmater Sadly we don’t use water cannon and cudgels. “Freedom of Speech” has gone too far in this case.
Freedom of Speech is governed by Time, Place, and Manner even in the United States. Blocking a public roadway is a form of free speech but is civil disobedience and illegal.

P.S. In the US, these individuals would face about 20 years in prison though they will probably get five years or so per a plea bargain.
T8191 and PJSMITH0 like this.
OUTraveling is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2019, 12:47 pm
  #45  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: SNA
Programs: MARRIOTT TITANIUM / HILTON GOLD / UA SILVER / AMEX PLAT
Posts: 609
Originally Posted by zitsky
I feel sorry for you guys. I should be sympathetic to this protest group, however, I don't understand the reasons for causing inconvenience to the public on a massive scale. Someone tell me how these protests are going to convince the public to do something.
I understand the cause that they champion, however they should take up their concerns with elected leaders. I will have sympathy for them if the are sentenced to MORE than 20 years in prison.
Silver Fox likes this.
OUTraveling is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.