Nine protesters from the anti-aviation group Plane Stupid will appear in court this morning after causing chaos at one of Europe’s busiest commercial airports, Aberdeen in Scotland yesterday.
Due to the protest, the airport was closed between 6.30am and 9am and ten flights were cancelled, much to the annoyance of the authorities and its operator, BAA. The airport is due to be expanded by BAA, which will increase passenger numbers by 1.5 million by 2015.
Using the old tactic of humour in direct action, the protestors were dressed as Donald Trump the flamboyant billionaire developer whose new £1 billion highly controversial and ecologically damaging golf development will attract many more people to the region by plane. Trump is also backing expansion of the airport.
The five men and four women cut through the perimeter fence. Some climbed on to the terminal building roof, whilst others occupied a taxiway. Wearing wigs and golfing visors, the activists staged a mock game of golf with plastic clubs and balls. The protesters on the roof unveiled a banner stating: “Nae Trump Games with Climate Change”.
One of the protesters Jonny Agnew, a 22-year-old from Edinburgh, said: “We have been failed by the generation of Donald Trump and Alex Salmond”, [the leader of the Scottish Parliament]. “The reality is that our generation’s future is vanishing so that people like Donald Trump and his super-rich friends can jet into Aberdeen for a round of golf.”
Meanwhile, the aviation front group, Flying Matters, issued more disinformation on the effects of flying. They are being used as the aviation industry’s rebuttal unit every time there is a protest. Brian Wilson, the chairman said: “No one should be fooled into thinking Plane Stupid are serious about climate change. Flying is responsible for 2% of global carbon emissions.”
Yes Brian, and pigs might fly. But I doubt they play golf.