Airport protesters chained
2007-08-16 14:28
London - Environmental activists said on Thursday they had chained themselves to the gates of a small English airport to protest the impact of private air traffic on climate change.
The group said about 10 protesters had shut Biggin Hill airport, south of London, by blocking the only passenger entrance. The airport confirmed the protest but said Biggin Hill was operating normally.
Richard George, a spokesperson for the demonstrators, said the action was a protest against the growth in the number of people using private jets as opposed to scheduled flights.
A former World War 2 airfield, Biggin Hill is used largely by private aircraft.
Hundreds of activists are holding a weeklong "climate camp" protest at London's Heathrow Airport to oppose a proposed new runway and highlight air travel's contribution to climate change.
The protests are due to culminate in a day of unspecified "direct action" on Sunday.
George said activists did not plan to shut down Heathrow.
"This is not the sort of thing that will be happening at Heathrow," he said. "We have no intention of shutting down Heathrow. That is a very different situation."
A fifth terminal is scheduled to open at Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, in March 2008, and the government has proposed a new runway there for about 2020.
- AP