Climate Camp for Action Protest
By David Drew
8 Mar 2008
These photographs were taken during a protest against the BAA's proposed expansion of London's Heathrow Airport. If this goes ahead and a third runway is built a sustainable community called Sipsons Village will be destroyed as a result of the expansion. This is highly unethical and unfair to the community which will have no say in the decision. The worst possible outcome being the eviction of residence from there life long homes, with minimal compensation being paid to them.
The expansion will also effect global warming. An irrefutable piece of peer-reviewed science known as the 'Tyndall Report' states that the expansion is not attuned with 'The Kyoto Protocol' or combating climate change. All the protesters carried sheets of A4 with a summary of the report on . They carried banners stating, "We are armed.... Only with peer-reviewed science" and plaques with images of victims who are affected by climate change.
Despite the report and the vast opposition of community leaders and activists alike the British Government, now under Gordon Brown, still supports BAA's plans of expansion. This is ironic considering New Labour's commitment to lower the UKs carbon emissions and adhere to 'The Kyoto Protocol'. Many believe this short sightedness may deprive later generations of a healthy future.
During the final day of the protest as participants approached the BAA building, Riot and Mounted Police intervened in force creating a confrontation to what was a acknowledged peaceful protest. The protesters were only armed with their summaries of the 'Tyndall Report'. A number of them were hurt, as were observers and civilians.
I feel that with some exceptions, the police were not entirely to blame and on the whole behaved admirably, on occasions assisting troubled protesters. They were not responsible for the circumstances, they were merely ordered to control the state of affairs and in the heat of an overwhelming situation a minority acted inappropriately. I have included images where this was the case. One protester was violently attacked by an officer who beat him with a shield. Others were brutallised without warning by baton wielding policemen. Some dog walkers who were not involved in the protest were treated in an aggressive manner by a policeman in riot gear who attacked their dog and verbally abused them. These particular policemen, like some of the less conscientious protesters, were noticeably just looking for confrontation with any individuals.
The integrity of the government may be questioned for banning a group that is known to be peaceful, called Plane Stupid, from attending the event and for ignoring the peer- reviewed "Tyndall Report"
Given a number of recent controversies surrounding Heathrow, including security breeches and a crash landing which narrowly cleared the airport fence and a busy road, I would question the sanity as well as the morality of any expansion of London's Heathrow airport.
(Text Edited and Improved by Dan Russell)
