Activists halt flights at Aberdeen

03/03/2009

Climate change protesters barricade themselves within runway fortress

Climate change protesters have been detained by police after barricading themselves within a "wire fortress" on the tarmac at Aberdeen Airport.

Flights were halted after the protest began at 3am but resumed around 9am after members of the campaign group Plane Stupid released themselves.

A Grampian Police spokesperson said: "An investigation into the incident is currently ongoing at the moment and a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal in due course."


Activist Tilly Gifford said that all the protesters were Scottish residents but were connected to the UK-wide protest which has carried out similar action at airports in England.

Gifford, who told The Big Issue Scotland two weeks ago the group was planning a campaign of direct action, said: "We are trying to close down the airport. We can measure its success in terms of stopping carbon emissions. We are here to highlight that aviation is the fastest growing source of carbon emissions."

A spokesman for Aberdeen airport said: "There is no justification for this irresponsible action, which is deliberately calculated to delay and inconvenience the travelling public."