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Heathrow protest grows
13/08/2007 11:30 - (SA)
London - More climate change campaigners are expected to arrive on Monday to join protests against expansion plans at Britain's Heathrow airport.
The protesters began arriving at the "Camp for Climate
Action" on Sunday, erecting marquees and setting up toilets on
land north of Heathrow, one of the world's busiest airports.
They say they have "legally occupied" the site, which is on
the route of a proposed third runway at Heathrow and is around
800 metres from the headquarters of airport operator
BAA, owned by Spanish construction and services group Ferrovial.
Organisers say up to 3 000 people will attend the week-long
demonstrations due to start on Tuesday with "24 hours of mass
action" promised for next Sunday.
"It will be direct action - we will cost the aviation industry dearly," the group said on its website. "It will be civil disobedience - we will act within the bounds we set not those of BAA lawyers."
A similar camp last year close to the Drax power station in
Yorkshire by 400 protesters led to 40 arrests.
Disruption
The Heathrow protest is expected to cause disruption during
one of the busiest times of the year for the airport, which is
due to be used by 1.5 million passengers during the week.
Mark Bullock, managing director of Heathrow Airport, said
many of them would be "innocent families going on their summer
holidays".
He said BAA had "always accepted the right of protesters to
protest lawfully" but those using the airport had rights too.
"We believe that there is an important debate to be had over
climate change, but we do not believe direct action against the
airport is appropriate," he said.
- Reuters
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