Runway invasion at Southend airport by Plane Stupid and Climate Rush

Date added: 29 October, 2011

15 activists from Plane Stupid, and Climate Rush, entered Southend airport at
9am, got onto the runway, and stayed there for over an hour, before being arrested.
They did a dance routine dressed as pilots and cabin crew, and planned to put
up some solar panels. The protest was against the planned increase in flights
from Southend in 2012, and the planned 300 metre runway extension. Protestors
said the expansion will not create as many jobs as could be created by building
renewable energy instead – saying “we need solar power, not plane power.”

The protestors were released on bail at 1am on Sunday 30th October until 30th
November. One condition of their bail is that they will not “consort”. See BBC
article below (30.10.2011)

29.10.2011 (BBC)

Southend Airport runway protesters arrested

Fifteen climate change activists have been arrested at London Southend Airport.

Members of Plane Stupid and Climate Rush entered the airport at 09:00 BST and
were apprehended by officers.

In a press release, the groups said they planned to put solar panels on the runway
and do a dance routine dressed as pilots and cabin crew.

Police initially said 16 people were in custody, but at 15:00 BST confirmed five
men and 10 women were detained.

The airport wants to extend its runway by 300m (984ft) to allow larger passenger
aircraft to be used.

Public Footpath crosses taxi way. The site at which the protesters allegedly

entered the airport – the zebra crossing over an airport taxiway on Footpath
36.

‘Solar power’

The Stobart Group, which owns the airport, aims to have two million passengers
a year passing through its terminal, by 2020.

In a statement before the arrests, a spokeswoman for the protesters said: “Southend
Council say the expansion will bring jobs.

“But investment in renewable energy would create many more jobs without damaging
the climate.

“What we need is solar power, not plane power.

“The bigger runway is bad for climate change, bad for local residents under the
flight path and is not needed to help the local economy.”

Using Twitter, Plane Stupid said members had invaded the runway at 09:00 BST
and remained there “for at least an hour”.

Essex Police said officers responded quickly to reports of protesters gaining
access to Southend Airport shortly after the protesters broke in.

View from Footpath 36 towards the runway at Southend Airport,

where it is understood the protest took place

Flights ‘unaffected’

All 15 suspects are being held on suspicion of entering a restricted zone at
an airport and aggravated trespass.

A 20-year-old man and a 19 year-old woman from Norwich and a 43 year-old man
from Whitstable in Kent are among those arrested.

The remainder are from various parts of London.

Det Ch Insp Stuart Hooper said: “We were on heightened general alert to airports
and our response to the protest was very swift.

“We have a number of well-rehearsed contingency plans for events such as this
and we have launched a criminal investigation following the incident at Southend.”

An airport spokeswoman confirmed the runway had been closed for a “short period”
while police dealt wth the situation.

“No flights were impacted by this event,” she said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-15505319

Climate Rush website: http://www.climaterush.co.uk/

This is the response from the local group at Southend, SAEN:

SAEN grateful to Plane Stupid protesters

SAEN[1] has learned, via a call from the local press, that 16 people were arrested
at Southend Airport this morning for protesting against the airport’s expansion.

The direct action group Plane Stupid has claimed credit for the protest alongside
Suffragette-inspired campaigners Climate Rush.[2] Further information about the
incident is available from the Press Association[3] and BBC News[4].

SAEN was unaware of today’s protest, but has been opposing the runway extension
at Southend Airport and associated development ever since the summer of 2008 when
Southend Borough Council and Rochford District Council launched a Joint Area Action
Plan (JAAP) to determine planning policy for the airport and its environs.

Initially, four options were on the table – low growth, two medium growth variants
and high growth. The majority opposed “Scenario 3″[5], which was the high growth
option, but it was this proposal that was taken forward and phase 2 of consultation
was on this high growth plan, which included an extension to the runway to allow
larger planes to use the airport. Again, the overwhelming majority objected[6].
By this time, Stobart had bought the airport and were developing a planning application
for the runway extension.

The application was submitted in October 2009, at which point the JAAP was put
on ice, denying the public an Examination in Public of the planning policy before
it was adopted. Despite overwhelming opposition, the application was waved through
by Southend Council’s development control committee in January 2010. SAEN was
hopeful at this stage that the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government,
John Denham (a former Friends of the Earth transport campaigner), would grant
a public inquiry into the decision, but it was not to be. The group then spent
over a year and tens of thousands of pounds pursuing permission for a Judicial
Review, which has now been refused.

It is therefore entirely understandable that protesters would take direct action
to protest against this unjust scheme and SAEN is grateful to the protesters for
showing solidarity with the local community.

SAEN Spokesman, Denis Walker, said: “The town is being blighted by the closure
of Eastwoodbury Lane, the demolition of six homes and the threat of thousands
of flights a month, but we’re getting nothing in return but more noise and more
traffic. Regional airports take money out of the local economy as people go abroad
to spend and while there will be a few jobs they never match the numbers the developers
claim. The town has been double-crossed and councillors should be ashamed.”

http://www.saen.org.uk/2011/10/saen-grateful-to-plane-stupid-protesters/

“Stop Airport Extension Now” (SAEN) was formed to campaign against the runway
extension at Southend Airport. The group is not opposed to the Airport itself,
which has co-existed with the residents of Southend for many years. SAEN is against
the runway extension, which would lead to a massive increase in flights and destroy
the lives of the people living, working or going to school anywhere near the flightpath.
http://twitter.com/#!/planestupid and http://twitter.com/#!/ClimateRush
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5jSJ0PtpT3Ot13P5nKU_5vVfrlTZA?docId=N0343301319879438537A
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-15505319
http://www.saen.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/JAAP_issues_and_options_summary_consultation_response.pdf (see p15)
http://www.saen.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Resp-to-JAAP-POR-Final-Version.pdf (see p4)

Southend Airport: Sixteen Arrested After Activists Walk On Runway

29/10/11 11:10 (Press Association)

Sixteen people have been arrested after a protest at an airport, police said.

Activists went on to the runway at Southend Airport in Essex shortly after 9am
on Saturday.

A spokeswoman for Essex Police said: “Sixteen people gained entry to Southend
Airport. We were deployed very quickly and have arrested them all, and they are
in custody.”

Some managed to get on to the runway, she added.

Campaigners said the demonstration was against the planned expansion of the airport.

A spokeswoman for the protesters said: “Southend Council say the expansion will
bring jobs. But investment in renewable energy would create many more jobs without
damaging the climate. What we need is solar power not plane power.

“The bigger runway is bad for climate change, bad for local residents under the
flight path and is not needed to help the local economy.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/10/29/southend-airport-sixteen-_n_1064977.html?1319883348

Protestors On Runway At Southend Airport

29th October 2011, 10:20

New Control Tower And Airport Train Station

Essex Police say 16 people have been arrested after protestors gained access
to Southend Airport.

Officers were called shortly after 9am today (Saturday 29 October) after some
managed to get on to the runway.

A spokeswoman for Essex Police said: “Sixteen people gained entry to Southend
Airport. We were deployed very quickly and have arrested them all, and they are
in custody.”

Campaigners said the demonstration was against the planned expansion of the airport.

“The bigger runway is bad for climate change, bad for local residents under the
flight path and is not needed to help the local economy.”

Southend Airport has issued the following statement: “Essex police were called
to London Southend airport following a report of suspicious activity at the airport
perimeter.

“Police swiftly dealt with a breach in the airport perimeter and a number of
people were arrested.

“The runway was closed for a short period whilst the police responded but no
flights were impacted by this event.”

http://www.heart.co.uk/essex/news/local/protestors-storm-runway-southend-airport/

16 arrested after airport protest [15, not 16]

(UKPA) 29.10.2011

Sixteen people have been arrested after a protest at an airport, police said.

Activists went on to the runway at Southend Airport in Essex shortly after 9am
on Saturday.

A spokeswoman for Essex Police said: “Sixteen people gained entry to Southend
Airport. We were deployed very quickly and have arrested them all, and they are
in custody.”

Some managed to get on to the runway, she added.

Campaigners said the demonstration was against the planned expansion of the airport.

“The bigger runway is bad for climate change, bad for local residents under the
flight path and is not needed to help the local economy.”

A spokeswoman for the airport said later: “Earlier this morning Essex Police
were called to London Southend Airport following a report of suspicious activity
at the airport perimeter.

“Police swiftly dealt with a breach in the airport perimeter and a number of
people were arrested.

“The runway was closed for a short period whilst the police responded. No flights
were impacted by this event.”

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5jSJ0PtpT3Ot13P5nKU_5vVfrlTZA?docId=N0343301319879438537A

30 October 2011 Last updated at 10:48 (BBC)

Members of Plane Stupid and Climate Rush entered the airport at 09:00 BST on
Saturday and were arrested by Essex police officers.

They had planned to put solar panels on the runway and perform a dance routine
dressed as pilots and cabin crew.

The five men and 10 women have been released on police bail until 30 November.

They were being held on suspicion of entering a restricted zone at an airport
and aggravated trespass.

‘Solar power needed’

The airport wants to extend its runway by 300m (984ft) to allow larger passenger
aircraft to be used.

The Stobart Group, which owns the airport, aims to have two million passengers
a year passing through its terminal, by 2020.

In a statement before the arrests, a spokeswoman for the protesters said: “Southend
Council say the expansion will bring jobs.

“But investment in renewable energy would create many more jobs without damaging
the climate.

“What we need is solar power, not plane power.”

An airport spokeswoman said the runway had been closed for a “short period” while
police dealt with the situation but no flights had been affected.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-15511754

This is how the Crown Prosecution Service defines Aggravated Trespass – of which
the Southend activists are accused: http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/s_to_u/trespass_and_nuisance_on_land/

Runway invasion at Southend airport by Plane Stupid and Climate Rush

Southend Airport runway protesters arrested

Southend Airport: Sixteen Arrested After Activists Walk On Runway

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