Several Just Stop Oil protesters were arrested at airports across Europe as members of the group planned to disrupt summer holidays for many.
The environmental radicals forced planes to stay grounded in Germany and even managed to reach runways in Spain on Wednesday morning, after vowing to use “all means necessary” to target families trying to go on vacation.
London police said that 10 people were arrested at the country’s largest airport, Heathrow, the BBC reports.
ICYMI: Crazed climate activists from the group “Just Stop Oil” threw a can of tomato soup over Vincent Van Gogh’s famous “Sunflowers” painting, before gluing themselves to the wall in protest at London’s National Gallery.
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The group was detained near the airport and taken into custody on suspicion of conspiring to interfere with a site of key national infrastructure under the Public Order Act. While the disruption at Heathrow was minimal, eleven activists in Switzerland blocked main roads around both Zurich and Geneva airports. In Rome, shocking scenes unfolded as people threw orange paint in Terminal 3, and the departure time of a plane was delayed due to activist disruption.
“Thanks to the work of officers involved, those arrested have been taken into custody and the Met has prevented significant disruption to the airport and travelling public,” police said in a statement.
Sean Callaghan, 29, was one of those who was arrested in London today. In a video message posted by the group, Callaghan said, “I went into environmental education because with my life, I wanted to inspire, enthuse, and motivate students about the natural world and the outside environment. I’m taking action with Just Stop Oil at airports this summer because it is impossible for me to see a way in which we can inspire and enthuse students about the future of our planet.”
Sally Davidson, who was also arrested at Heathrow Airport, said: “Our new government must take swift and meaningful action to end the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030, by establishing a legally binding treaty to phase out fossil fuels. Anything less is a death sentence.”
Adam Beard, also arrested, said “We need immediate and decisive action to prevent the worst effects of the climate crisis becoming reality, with all the death and suffering that will bring. Our government must work with other nations to enact a treaty to end the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030.”
Activists in Spain were able to access the taxiway at Barcelona airport, but were intercepted before they could cause further harm.
In Germany, climate activists caused flight cancellations at Cologne-Bonn airport by gluing themselves to the runway.
“That was just the beginning today. Over the next few weeks we will repeat this in Germany, Europe and globally,’ said one member in a briefing, reports the Daily Mail.
