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From Times Online

December 8, 2008

Stansted Airport runway closed after protesters = force their=20 way 'airside'

Times Online

Passengers at London's Stansted Airport are facing a morning of chaos = after=20 climate change protesters forced their way into a secure area, causing = the=20 complete closure of the runway.

The protest, by 54 campaigners, saw demonstrators occupying a runway = and taxi=20 area which had been closed for maintenance work at around 3am.

According to Plane Stupid, which organised the demonstration, the = protest is=20 over the Government=92s decision to allow the expansion of the = Essex-based=20 airport, situated to the east of London, with a second runway.

It was set to cause chaos this morning, as all departures have so far = been=20 postponed and arrivals are expected to be diverted. Four people have = been=20 arrested.

An Essex police spokeswoman said the protesters were "airside". "We = have=20 arrested four people so far. Police have contained the area where the = protesters=20 are and they will be dealing with them in due course," she said.

BAA, operator of Stansted Airport, said the runway was closed for = "safety and=20 security reasons", and warned passengers to expect delays.

In a statement, BAA said: "At approximately 3am an unknown number of=20 individuals breached security, but shortly afterwards were held by = police. This=20 continues to be the situation.

"Due to this event the runway is closed and will continue to be so = until=20 further notice. the advice to passengers is to contact their airlines = directly=20 who can advise them but we are expecting delays."

Explaining its reasons for the protest, Plane Stupid said aviation = was the=20 fastest growing source of emissions and already contributed to at least = 13% of=20 the UK=92s carbon budget. It also pointed to plans for a new runway at = Heathrow=20 which the government has yet to approve.

One of the activists, Lily Kember, 21, said the protesters had used = bolt=20 cutters to get in to a secure area around 50 metres from the runway. =

Ms Kember said a total of 54 protesters were sitting down on a site = near=20 where aeroplanes taxi before taking off and landing. "Being arrested is = a=20 terrifying prospect, but not nearly as terrifying as the threat of = climate=20 change," she said.

Security were breached at around 3am = and=20 shortly after were held by police. The first flight doesn't leave until = 6,=20 there's at least 2 hours to clear up the mess? There's no reason for the = closure.

dominik, london, uk

Flights have been diverted to other = airports=20 therefore using more fuel and delayed flights will eventually take off = so what=20 has been achived besides annoying passengers ?

Neil, Szczecin, Poland

What does this Government = expect?They have=20 chosen to ignore the evidence , countless organisations and thousands of = people=20 who rightly have said enough is enough to this unnecessary and = unsustainable=20 expansion.Well done to the protesters.

Philip, Braintree, Essex

Goodl old UK, this will now be a = crime scene=20 and with any luck the police can keep it closed all day.

John Carr, Coussac Bonneval, France

"At approximately 3am an unknown = number of=20 individuals breached security, but shortly afterwards were held by = police. How=20 many millions are we paying for anti-terrorism? If they had been = terrorists with=20 a bomb, "shortly afterwards" would be a bit too late wouldn't it?

Richard, Alicante, Spain

How is it that 54 people have broken = &=20 entered, and are now trespassing on private property, yet only 4 of them = have=20 been arrested?

What's truly unbelievable is that this tiny group = can=20 cause so much disruption - how hard is it to round them up & get the = airport=20 open again?

Ade, C=E1diz, Spain

I note that on the BBC the = protestors compare=20 themselves to suffragettes.

Would Luddites not be a better=20 comparison?

Mike S, London,

Why are these people referred to as=20 'campaigners'? They are plain criminals endangering the safe operation = of an=20 airport, disrupting the plan(e)s of thousands and causing serious = financial=20 damage. I hope they will be treated accordingly and not let off with a = slap on=20 the wrist.

Chris, London,

Are we to presume that Lily Kember = and her=20 colleagues have never flown anywhere - even Ibiza - and nor will they in = the=20 future?

David Masu, Z=FCrich, Switzerland

Selfish.

Harry, London,

The question is whether Plane Stupid = - as they=20 clearly are - will "fly in" Hansen to get them acquitted. Perhaps he'll = get=20 diverted and never make the Expert Witness plea for the defense! = However,=20 another acquittal like the Greenpeace 6 would represent how AGW alarmist = propoganda is accepted legally

Justin Avery, Worthing, UK

So much for airport security! Makes = a mockery=20 of all the security controls and misery passengers have to endure.

Bergman Coffey, Belfast,

Climate change is natural and has = been=20 happenig for millions of years. Any human contribution has only the = weakest=20 scietific evidence supporting it. The sooner other theories are = creditted the=20 better for society.

DBP, London,

54 "protesters" disrupt the lives of = thousands=20 of people by engaging in criminal activity. Will they be suitably dealt=20 with?

Peter Bell, Nottingham, England

While I feel sorry for the delayed = passengers,=20 there were a couple speaking on Radio 1 who'd been planning a day trip = abroad to=20 do a few hour's shopping. This shows how little some people think about = their=20 carbon emissions. People need to wake up if they care at all about = future=20 generations.

Richard, Edinburgh,

It seems that airline travellers are = fair game=20 for strikers and political protesters.
These people have a lot in = common=20 with terrorists.
Useing innocent and uninvolved people to make a = point.=20
50 of them! 100 policemen! Pussy footing around is really not the = answer=20
Regards Ron. [Silent majority

Ronald John Bentham, Nantwich, UK

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Stansted Airport runway closed after protesters = force their=20 way 'airside'