Airport disruption entered fourth day as Starmer’s government also became a target

On Saturday 27 July, peaceful protests took place in at least six cities across six countries in support of Oil Kills – an international uprising to end oil, gas and coal by 2030. Airport disruption was a key feature, again – with more arrests amid blockades. However, in the UK things went up a gear – as activists targeted Keir Starmer’s new Labour Party government.

Across the UK, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, the USA, and Canada, protesters are gathering to demand their governments commit to establishing a legally binding treaty to stop extracting and burning oil, gas and coal by 2030 as well as supporting and financing poorer countries to make a fast, fair, and just transition.

In London, almost 200 air pollution and climate campaigners gathered outside the Department for Transport to protest against the proposed expansion of London City Airport.

Stop London City Airport expansion

Chanting ‘they fly, we choke’, protesters were calling on the Department for Transport to reject London City Airport’s expansion plans, with a decision expected to be made by the Department this summer; drawing attention to climate and local health impacts of the site:

The peaceful protestors from Fossil Free London were forced to move the demonstration from outside London City Airport after receiving notice of an injunction from City’s lawyers that prevents ‘any environmental campaign group’ protesting on the Airport’s grounds; or risk facing up to two years in prison, fines and seizing of assets:

In July 2023, London City Airport’s bid for expansion was unanimously rejected by Newham council, but this was appealed by the Airport meaning a final decision will now be taken by the Secretaries of State for Transport and Levelling Up.

London City Airport is based in Newham: the third most deprived local authority in London. 37% of residents, and 50% of children live in poverty. In contrast, the average income of London City Airport business travellers in 2011 was £85,000.

And London is already the most exposed city in the world to air pollution from aviation. With Londoners in Newham exposed to air pollution levels 35% higher than WHO guidelines. 7.5% of all deaths in the borough are attributable to particulate air pollution

The Climate Change Committee has warned there should be no net airport expansion across the UK if we are to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. And in 2023, one in four flights leaving London City Airport were more than half empty.

Inês Teles from Stay Grounded in London said:

London City Airport shows that aviation is a huge issue of injustice: People living in the flight paths of the airport have incomes that are far lower than those of the passengers flying overhead.

Joanna Warrington, spokesperson for Fossil Free London, said:

As businessmen fly off over one of London’s poorest boroughs, we’re left choking on their excess fumes that fuel climate collapse.

Enough already

In Switzerland, DROP Fossil Subsidies and Act Now held a protest in front of a terminal at Geneva Airport.

Letzte Generation marched in downtown Montreal, Canada – ending with a blockade of an intersection, with activists protesting using fake oil:

OIL KILLS and we refuse to die.
We took action today, blocking an intersection in downtown Montreal to pour fake oil on ourselves. We won't stay silent as millions are murdered due to government inaction.

We need change. These actions are just a start. pic.twitter.com/ZjHkvG3v3t

— Last Generation (@lastgencanada) July 27, 2024

Meanwhile, in Austria, Letzte Generation held a protest at Vienna Airport:

Police predictably moved in:

A protest held by Last Generation America also took place at Sacramento International Airport. In the Netherlands, Extinction Rebellion took action at Maastricht airport.

And finally, in London, a lone Just Stop Oil activist was arrested for holding a banner – as the UK went further down the justice rabbit hole:

A @JustStop_Oil supporter detained by police & forcibly removed for holding a #OilKills sign at Heathrow Terminal Five. #JustStopOil is working with groups internationally to demand govts establish a #FossilFuelTreaty, to end the extraction & burning of oil, gas & coal by 2030 https://t.co/5hQSi6st2D pic.twitter.com/lKxhd09JWo

— @ShellsLies (@shellslies) July 27, 2024

Saturday’s protests come after three days of civil disobedience and airport disruption by 13 groups across Europe and North America in which airports were disrupted in 10 countries, causing air traffic to come to a standstill at Frankfurt Airport (FRA), Cologne-Bonn Airport (CGN) and Gardermoen Airport (OSL).

Oil Kills – and so does aviation

Hannah Lawrence, spokesperson for Stay Grounded, said:

Aviation is the most polluting and unjust mode of transport – with a small portion of ultra-rich people burning up the planet for the rest of us. Despite this, governments have continually refused to tackle this problem and to shift to a fair, just transport system. This week, the people have made their demands clear: we need to rapidly reduce the amount of flights taking off each day and commit to phasing out fossil fuels.

Activists have chosen to focus on aviation with airport disruption because it is a core pillar of the fossil fuels society which is responsible for the climate crisis.

Aviation is also a pinnacle of the inequality at the core of the climate crisis with 80% of the world’s population having never flown and only 1% of people creating 50% of global aviation emissions.

Featured image and additional images supplied