Publicity & Politics News
Below are links to stories on protests, publicity events and other aviation stories that have hit the news.
Residents ‘adopt’ the 13 Plane Stupid activists facing jail over Heathrow runway occupation
There was a great atmosphere on Valentines Day in the Five Bells pub in Harmondsworth, as 13 residents,most of whom face losing their homes if a 3rd runway is built, each ‘adopted’ one of the 13 Plane Stupid activists who face jail after occupying a runway at Heathrow. There was a specially-made Valentines Day cake, with the words; "Heathrow - you're breaking our hearts." The 'adopters' each drew the name of the activist they would 'adopt'. They have promised to write to the activists and support them in any way they can, if they go to jail. A second remarkable cake, with the face and name of each of the Heathrow 13, was made by the mum of one of the activists, Cameron Kaye. John Stewart, chair of HACAN, the residents’ group which opposes a new runway, said, “The event was good fun. There was a warm mood of mutual support in the room. It was made 100% clear that the activists won’t be alone when they are sentenced in 10 days time. Residents and direct action protesters are united as one in their determination to stop a third runway." The serious purpose of the event was to show "the bond of unity there is between the people who put their bodies on the line at Heathrow and the residents who face losing their homes."
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Letter: “Prison sentences for Heathrow 13 activists would threaten our right to protest”
A range of high-profile signatories have sent an open letter to the Guardian, in support of the Heathrow 13, who occupied part of Heathrow's northern runway on 13th July 2015. They say that giving the activists prison sentences would be unjust and disproportionate, for what they did - and would represent a “massive threat” to the right to peaceful protest in the UK. Those signing the letter include MPs John McDonnell and Caroline Lucas, as well as key people in Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, NEF, NUS, and a range of environmental and social campaigning organisations. The letter says "prison is an utterly disproportionate punishment, and would mark yet another example of heavy-handed treatment leading to the suppression of political dissent in the UK today." The 13 members of "Plane Stupid" were found guilty in January of aggravated trespass and entering a security-restricted area of an aerodrome. District judge Deborah Wright said the “astronomical costs” of their action to Heathrow, with 22 flights cancelled, meant likely jail sentences on 24th February. This would be very unusual, for first offences. One of the lawyers for the Heathrow 13 said civil disobedience had a “constitutional role” to play in a democracy, and that conditional discharge was usually the starting point for this offence.
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Campaigners plaster Osborne’s constituency with “No 3rd runway” signs, to remind him of the cost to the taxpayer
Campaigners against Heathrow expansion have plastered Knutsford, in George Osborne’s constituency - Tatton in Cheshire - with No Third Runway signs. They put up the signs in Knutsford's main street in the heart of the constituency, and one outside Conservative Party headquarters in the town. A new runway would cost the taxpayer billions of pounds. The date was chosen to coincide with the date on which tax returns must be submitted. The cost to the taxpayer of the infrastructure needed for a 3rd Heathrow runway are expected to be up to £20 billion. Only considering the cost of tunnelling the M25, and associated costs, was considered by the Airports Commission to be £5 billion. Working out how much £5 billion is, divided among the whole UK population, comes to over £77 per person. HACAN has also worked out that £5 billion would buy 83,000 new social homes or thousands of hip replacements, primary or secondary school teachers - or many huge new hospitals. (Figures below) HACAN Chair John Stewart, said, “The billions of pounds of Government money that would be needed for 3rd runway road and rail schemes might even make the Chancellor, George Osborne, think twice about backing it.”
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Doubtful logic of imprisoning the Heathrow 13: “The Flight of Reason in the Face of Airport Expansion”
The Heathrow 13, who occupied the far eastern end of Heathrow's northern runway in July, were found guilty by Judge Deborah Wright, at Willesden Magistrates court on 25th January. They will be sentenced on 24th February,and may receive up to the maximum of 3 months in prison. Many believe that the dangers we, and our descendants, face from climate change are so severe that effective action to cut CO2 emissions needs to be taken, fast. A blog in support of the Heathrow 13, and the necessity for rapid action on emissions, says though they caused some expense to the airport - the costs of not acting to curb global CO2 will be massively larger. "This raises an interesting point regarding cost and consequences that doesn't take into account the great looming elephant in the room that is climate change..... In reality there is no bigger crime against our planet than climate change, and no greater injustice than the death and suffering it continues to bring.... The British legal system has it wrong here .... We need to ensure that our governments enforce emissions limits, and that they prioritise health and planetary welfare over perceived profit. Climate change should form a significant part of the dialogue when costs and consequences are assessed." As the "Heathrow 13 said after the verdict, they're 'in it for the long haul.' In terms of the planet, so are we all."
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The Heathrow 13 threatened with jail sentences stand on the right side of history
Leo Murray, who was a co-founder and former activist with Plane Stupid, has written about the Heathrow 13, who now face jail sentences. Leo says: "The past teaches us that epic struggles against powerful interests cannot be won without some people putting their freedom on the line." The Judge said they should expect time in prison "primarily because of the ‘astronomical cost’ of the protest for the airport’s owners."...."But what this judge did not factor in is the cost to the rest of us that increasing aviation emissions pose." ...Rising pollution from air travel is a very real and dangerous problem that nobody with power wants to solve.... aviation is the only sector of the British economy that is not expected to make any contribution to national CO2 emissions reductions" .... If a new runway is built "we will have no hope of meeting our legally binding carbon targets. ....When democratic legislative processes have failed, it falls to ordinary citizens to act to protect the public interest ....history teaches us that epic struggles against powerful vested interests cannot be won without some people being prepared to do much, much more [than most] - including putting their freedom on the line.... The Heathrow 13 are just such people. History will judge them kindly .The Heathrow 13 will be Britain’s first ever climate prisoners. But as the long as the state continues to fail so abysmally in its duty of care, they won’t be the last."
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Heathrow 13 – the justification for their action, and reaction to the verdicts
Guilty verdicts have been handed down against 13 climate activists protesting against the expansion of Heathrow airport in the UK. The Heathrow 13 were on trial for climate change direct action civil disobedience occupying a runway of Heathrow in July 2015. The legal defence of the Heathrow 13 was based on the law of necessity in directly preventing emissions which contribute to climate change and significant numbers of deaths arising from climate and pollution impacts from civil aviation. Judge Deborah Wright told the defendants to prepare for the likelihood of an unusually harsh sentence on February 24th, and possibly to expect 3 months in prison. Heathrow expansion is the big test of the UK government’s seriousness about climate change, particularly in the wake of the December 2015 UN Paris agreement, hoping to limit global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius and aspire to only 1.5 degrees. Heathrow represents 48% of UK emissions from aviation and is already "the airport with the highest CO2 contribution in the world in terms of combined international and domestic flights” This puts Heathrow expansion at odds with the UK Government’s commitment to avoiding a ‘well below’ 2’C target. Below are a selection of comments on the verdict on the Heathrow 13 and their belief that their action was necessary.
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“Heathrow13” climate protesters found guilty of aggravated trespass – sentencing 24th February, for possibly prison
Thirteen members of the Plane Stupid campaign group who occupied the eastern end of Heathrow's northern runway on 13th July 2015 have been found guilty of aggravated trespass and entering a security-restricted area of an aerodrome. They have been told it is almost inevitable they will face a prison term. Their defence had been that their actions were intended to prevent death or serous illness to people. However, district judge Deborah Wright (who sat alone) said the cost of the disruption at Heathrow was “absolutely astronomical”. Those convicted were clapped and cheered as they left the court. They have been bailed to appear for sentencing on 24 February. A statement released by the #Heathrow13 following their convictions read: “Today’s judgement demonstrates that the legal system does not yet recognise that climate defence is not an offence. We took action because we saw that it was sorely needed. When the democratic, legislative and processes have failed, it takes the actions of ordinary people to change them.” They say instead of the government taking action to cut carbon emissions, it is intending to spend millions making the problem bigger, if another runway is allowed. Though the judge recognised “They are all principled people” she considered what the protesters did was “symbolic and designed to make a point, not to save lives”.
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Dad of one of the #Heathrow13 sets out eloquently why we should be grateful for the climate warning they tried to give
The #Heathrow13 - the activists from "Plane Stupid" who carried out a protest on Heathrow's northern runway in July 2015 - were in court on 18th January, and the Judge's verdict was given on Monday 25th January. All were found guilty. Tim, the father of one of the activists, Rebecca Sanderson, has written about why (despite his earlier career working for an oil company) he is proud of what his daughter did, why he applauds their action, and why we should be grateful that they have tried to warn us about the climate dangers we face. Tim comments: "I am appalled by the apparently complete disconnect between what we know and what we do. .... There is now an overwhelming consensus that growth in carbon emissions could spell climatic disaster for our planet. Everyone apparently knows this ..... the general public, assiduously switch off mobile phone chargers and avoid over-filling the kettle. And then we feel so virtuous and pleased with ourselves that we book a flight to New Zealand, and wipe out all our emissions savings before we have even reached cruising altitude." .... Tim makes the analogy of the "Railway Children" in which they trespass on the railway line waving a red flag, to prevent an accident. "The Heathrow Plane Stupid protesters have tried again to warn us. They have stepped onto the runway, and they have waved their red flags. They have trespassed, and we should be grateful to them."
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First 2 days of the trial of Plane Stupid’s #Heathrow13 for their runway incursion in July
The trial of the #Heathrow13 is taking place at Willesden Magistrates Court, in front of Judge Wright. The 13 activists are charged with Aggravated Trespass and entering a security restricted area, with the prosecution by the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service). On the first day, evidence was given by two witnesses from Heathrow airport, on the extent to which the airport was disrupted by the protest, and the 20 flights that were cancelled. Two of the protesters gave evidence in the afternoon. On the second day, seven further witnesses gave evidence. The Judge has said she does not need other expert witnesses to appear - Sian Berry and John McDonnell had offered to give evidence. On the 3rd day, proceedings finished early, after lunch. It is likely that closing statements will be heard at 10am Monday 25th January, and the Judge's verdict will not be before 2pm on Monday at Willesden Magistrates court. Plane Stupid have produced summaries of what the defendants said, while being questioned, and some of the arguments they made. All were very certain of the necessity for carbon emissions to be reduced, in order to prevent increasing risk of death and serious illness for people across the world, especially those in the Global South. All were very certain that actions, such as theirs, were reasonable and proportionate in order to cut CO2 emissions.
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Supportive protest outside start of Plane Stupid’s #Heathrow13 trial for Heathrow incursion in July
The trial of the 13 members of Plane Stupid, who broke into Heathrow airport on 13th July, started at Willesden Magistrates Court on 18th. They are charged with Aggravated Trespass and entering a security restricted area. Their protest caused the cancellation of some 25 flights, which saved an estimated 250 tonnes of CO2. In doing so, they argue that helped to save lives in the Global South, by making a small cut in the emissions that fuel climate chaos. All 13 are pleading not guilty, and say their action was reasonable and justified in the climate context. They say "Climate defence is not an offence!" The judge hearing the case, by herself, is Judge Wright. The prosecution has been brought by the CPS. There was a large gathering outside the court, for the start of the trial, with many groups expressing their solidarity. This started with a short statement by the #Heathrow13 on their defence, before they entered the court to repeated chants of “No ifs, No Buts, No new runways!” Judge Wright declared that the fact that aviation fuel is linked to climate change is indisputable. The judge is looking at two issues: 1. Did the 13 genuinely believe their actions were necessary to prevent death or serious illness? And 2. Whether objectively their actions were reasonable and proportionate in order to prevent death or serious illness.