Heathrow Airport Activists In ‘Euroflashmob’

16.5.2009   (Sky News)

Flash mob protesters descended on Heathrow to sing against airport expansion
in a Eurovision-themed demonstration.


 

Anti-aviation campaigners with the flags of the other protesting nations join together at Heathrow Terminal One to demonstrate against the 3rd runway and aviation expansion. by Euroflashmob Heathrow and Europe

To see many more photos of the Euroflashmob, and others taking place at 5 other
European airports, see
Flickr.     http://www.flickr.com/photos/euroflashmob

 

On the day of the kitsch song contest, the protest coincided with similar protests
held across the Continent.

Activists wearing bright red T-shirts emblazoned with the words ‘Stop Airport
Expansion’ arrived at Terminal 1 departures, as protesters were due to gather
at airports in Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin and Paris.

The climate campaigners launched into a string of their own versions of some
of Britain’s most famous Eurovision entries from past years.
 

Anti-aviation campaigners put new words to old Eurovision favourites as they join together at Heathrow Terminal One to protest against the 3rd runway and aviation expansion. by Euroflashmob Heathrow and Europe

Emphasising the plight of the villagers of Sipson, who risk losing their entire
community to a third runway, protesters performed an adaptation of the 1996 hit,
“Just a Little Bit”, by Gina G.

Waving European flags, they sang: “Ooh ahh – no third runway, ooh ahh, we don’t
want more, ooh ahh – saving Sipson, It’s a fight you can’t ignore.”

And campaigners used the Abba hit, “Waterloo”, to emphasise their continued fight
against the Government.

They sang the words: “DfT (Department for Transport)- you’ll be defeated, we’ll win the war, BAA – no more runways for ever more,
Heathrow – couldn’t expand if it wanted to, Runway three – finally facing its
Waterloo, BAA – finally facing its Waterloo.”

Campaigners dressed up as European caricatures and waved banners with the words
“no to airport expansion” written in several languages.

Anti-aviation campaigner in Dutch style outfit puts new words to old Eurovision favourites as they join together at Heathrow Terminal One to protest against the 3rd runway and aviation expansion. by Euroflashmob Heathrow and Europe
The protest, organised by campaign group Hacan, was designed to show that opposition
to airport expansion is growing across Europe.

John Stewart, Hacan’s chairman said: “We are here today to show that there is
continuing – and strong – opposition to a third runway.

“The fact that there’s opposition to airport expansion at all the key airports
around Europe gives a lie to the argument made by BAA that if Heathrow doesn’t
expand, expansion will take place elsewhere.”


Anti-aviation campaigners put new words to old Eurovision favourites as they join together at Heathrow Terminal One to protest against the 3rd runway and aviation expansion. by Euroflashmob Heathrow and Europe

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090516/tuk-heathrow-airport-activists-in-eurofl-45dbed5.html

 

Photos on Flickr     http://www.flickr.com/photos/euroflashmob

 

Below is the German press release, (and a translation) for the Euroflashmob that took place at Frankfurt:

 

Press Information

Flashmobs across Europe against Airport Expansion


Simultaneous flashmobs take place on Rhein-Main-Airport and five other important
European airports on the day of the “Eurovision Song Contest"

Via email and on the internet circulates a call for simultaneous flashmobs against
airport expansion across Europe for tomorrow, 12 noon   on the dot.    In Germany,
too, there is a call for Frankfurt, the largest German airport and construction
project.

Airport expansion increases climate change.   While governments make statements
that expansion is inevitable because of the competition with other airports, campaigners
act united against airport expansion across Europe.   They claim their "Eurovision" on the largest European Airports:

Heathrow/London,   Schiphol/Amsterdam,   Charles-de-Gaulle/Paris,

Rhein-Main/Frankfurt,   in Brussels and Dublin.

“The event shows just how much opposition there is to the growth of airports
across Europe. European campaigners are giving ‘nul point’ to airport expansion,"
said John Stewart, the Chair of the Heathrow campaign group HACAN, referring to
the Song Contest.

A flash mob is a large group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place,
perform an unusual action for a brief time, then quickly disperse.   Flash mobs
raise attention.  Bystanders get curious and astonished. T he flashmob is suited
for photographers but they have to

come on the dot.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Saturday 16th May 12 noon – on the dot

Rhein-Main-Airport / Frankfurt

Terminal 1, Departure

________________________________________________________________

Termin-Hinweis

Europaweiter Flash-Mob gegen Flughafenausbau Zeitgleiche Proteste am Frankfurter
Flughafen und fünf weiteren großen europäischen Airports am Tag des „Eurovision
Song Contest"

Per Email und in Internet-Foren kursiert europaweit ein Aufruf zu einem europäischen
Flash-Mob unter dem Motto „Stop Airport Expansion" am morgigen Samstag um 12 Uhr
mittags. Auch für Deutschland existiert ein Aufruf für den Frankfurter Flughafen
als größtem deutschen

Luftverkehrsstandort und Ausbau-Vorhaben.

Die Expansion der Flughäfen schadet dem Klimaschutz. Während die Regierungen
den Ausbau mit der Konkurrenz der Standorte begründen, agieren AusbaugegnerInnen
in ganz Europa gemeinsam und zeigen ihre „Eurovision" an den größten europäischen
Flughäfen: Heathrow/London, Shipol/Amsterdam, Charles-de-Gaulle/Paris, Rhein-Main/Frankfurt
sowie in Brüssel und Dublin.

„Das Ereignis zeigt, wie viel Widerstand es quer durch Europa gegen das Wachstum
der Airports gibt. Europäische AktivistInnen vergeben „nul points" für den Flughafenausbau",
sagt John Stewart, Vorsitzender der britischen Umweltorganisation HACAN, in Anspielung
auf den

Schlagerwettbewerb.

Flash-Mobs („flash" für blitzartig, „mob" für Menschenmenge) sind über E-Mail
und Internet-Foren initiierte kurzzeitige Ansammlungen von Menschen zu einer bestimmten
Zeit an einem bestimmten Ort, die eine kollektive Handlung ausführen und dann
wieder verschwinden. Flash-Mobs erregen bei den Umstehenden Neugier und Verwunderung.
Der Flash-Mob lässt sich gut fotografieren oder filmen, aber die FotografInnen
müssen schnell sein.

 
 
 
Below is the press release for the Irish Euroflashmob:
 
Protest at Dublin Airport against another runway.
 

Flashmobs to take place at 6 airports across Europe on the day of the Eurovision
Song Contest.


12 noon – on the dot!

Dublin Airport Departures

Over by 1pm


A small flashmob of activists opposed to a second runway at Dublin Airport will
appear briefly and sing and dance. The activists oppose the expansion at Dublin
Airport because it would result in a increase in greenhouse gas emissions.   On
the same day Flashmobs will take place at five other airports across Europe:  
Frankfurt, Schiphol (Amsterdam), Brussels, Heathrow and Charles de Gaulle Airport
in Paris (1).
 
The Flashmob has been arranged on the same day as the Eurovision Song Contest.  
The campaigners in each country will ‘flash’ their red t-shirts, emblazoned with
the words ‘STOP AIRPORT EXPANSION’, the Irish words “STOP MEADU AN AERFORT” are
also worn in Dublin.
 
They group also will sing new lyrics (2) to Ireland’s Eurovision entry “Et Cetera”.
 
Molly Walsh of activist group Plane Mad (3) said “Ireland’s Eurovision entry
didn’t make it to the final but unlike Sinead Mulvey we’re not going home early.  
We’re still here saying that we give “nul points” to airport expansion.   This
is a fun event to highlight a very important issue.”
 
“If DAA think they can double the capacity and emissions at Dublin Airport then
they are going to encounter very strong opposition. Not just from concerned residents
like UPROAR (United Portmarnock Residents Opposing Another Runway) but also from
groups concerned about climate change.”
Rob Mac of Plane Mad said “Sinead Mulvey is an air hostess, but we suggest that
she work on her singing career as air travel has no place in a sustainable future.
Planes are the most damaging way to travel in terms of climate pollution. Expanding
capacity and infrastructure at Dublin Airport is mad at a time when we need to
be reducing our country’s emissions, not increasing them”


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Report on Belgian TV of the Brussels flash mob:
http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/mediatheek/programmas/journaal/2.5492/1.529070
and
http://www.lesoir.be/actualite/economie/manifestation-contre-les-2009-05-16-706806.shtml
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