Climate activists from Just Stop Oil staged a dramatic protest at Heathrow Airport, leading to swift arrests and sparking international attention. Here’s the full story.
Protests at Heathrow
Just days after several Just Stop Oil protesters received the longest jail sentences ever recorded in the UK for peaceful protests, the environmental group Just Stop Oil protested at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5.
Two Arrested
Two activists, Jane Touil, 58, and Phoebe Plummer, 22, were arrested shortly after beginning their protest. The pair covered the interior of the airport in bright orange paint before staging a sit-in behind the fire extinguishers they had used to spray the paint.
Quick Arrests
In yet another depressing sign of the ongoing crackdown against peaceful environmental protests in the UK, the pair were quickly arrested and taken away in the police van, with Heathrow officials confirming that there was no disruption to the airport.
Heathrow’s Response
A spokesperson from Heathrow stated, ‘Working with partners, we have quickly resolved a protest incident in Terminal 5, and all involved have been removed from the airport … We are in full agreement that the aviation industry needs to decarbonise, but unlawful and irresponsible protest activity is not the way forward and will not be tolerated.”
What Is Tolerated?
However, the spokesperson gave no hints as to what kinds of protests aimed at raising awareness of the impending climate catastrophe would be tolerated.
Protesters’ Statements
Those participating in the protests released statements to the press through a Just Stop Oil spokesperson. Touil stated, “We are in the greatest crisis humanity has ever faced, and governments are not doing what is needed to protect us.”
“Ordinary People”
She added, “Ordinary people have to stand up and make their governments do the right thing, because without pressure from us, they won’t. I feel so angry and betrayed that politicians have let this happen when they’ve known about climate breakdown for over 50 years.”
Plummer’s Statement
Plummer stated, “People around the world are rising up to demand an end to oil by 2030. This is an international problem, so ordinary people are doing what our politicians will not, working together globally to put a stop to the harm and suffering that fossil fuels cause.”
“Repression Won’t Stop Us”.
She added, “Repression and prison time will not stop people stepping up to defend our families and communities. We have to put a stop to oil and gas.”
Previous Protest
Plummer had previously participated in a similar protest in which she and another activist, Anna Holland, threw soup over the Van Gogh painting Sunflowers.
Painting Undamaged
The painting was covered by protective glass and undamaged, though the wooden frame was not so lucky. The pair were convicted of criminal damage.
Larger Campaign
The Heathrow protest is part of a larger international campaign called Oil Kills. It involves 21 groups across 12 countries, all working toward the common goal of highlighting the global nature of the impending climate catastrophe and ending the world’s reliance on fossil fuels.
IPCC Warnings
This is in response to repeated Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warnings that not doing so by 2050 would be a death sentence for humanity.
Right-Wing Fury
Predictably, many right-wing media organisations and pundits have reacted with fury to the peaceful protests. Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Claire Irvin, the travel correspondent for The Times, a newspaper owned by climate sceptic Rupert Murdoch, stated, “They have become Just Stop Flying. While yesterday’s faintly ridiculous protest didn’t actually stop flying, it was definitely very irritating.”
“Irritating But Necessary”
However, despite being slightly irritating to passengers whose flights were not disrupted, activist groups like Just Stop Oil argue that without significant pressure, politicians will continue to fail their electorate and humankind in addressing the climate crisis.
Extinction Rebellion Arrests
The protest at Heathrow comes just days after eight peaceful protesters from Extinction Rebellion, a separate environmental activist group, were arrested during a demonstration in Westminster.
Grim Reaper Protest
Activists, including one dressed as the Grim Reaper and carrying a plastic scythe, threw fake crude oil and briefly occupied the reception of the Policy Exchange building, a prominent right-wing think tank with murky ties to fossil fuel companies.
Rising Tensions
As Just Stop Oil and other environmental groups continue their campaigns, tension between environmental activists and the forces of law and order is likely to increase. The group’s demands for a legally binding treaty to end fossil fuel extraction by 2030 have received support from the British public but have been, up until recently, ignored by politicians.
Future of Protests
With more protests likely as the climate catastrophe continues apace, it remains to be seen whether the ongoing and increasingly criminalised, peaceful protests of groups like Just Stop Oil will be enough to convince those in power to enact change or whether their continued lip service to environmental causes will lead to more drastic protests in the future.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Dinendra Haria.
Grant Gallacher is a seasoned writer with expertise in politics and impactful daily news. His work, deeply rooted in addressing issues that resonate with a wide audience, showcases an unwavering commitment to bringing forth the stories that matter. He is also known for satirical writing and stand up comedy.