Environmental activists opposed to the climate wrecking effects of short haul flights have this morning shut down the HQ of Easyjet in London.
Activists from green direct action group, Plane Stupid, took action on Britain’s first national day of action against short haul flights today which coincides with the start of the UN Climate talks in Nairobi. It comes as new research from HACAN Clearskies shows that 100,000 flights from Heathrow each year are to short haul destinations that are easily reachable by the more sustainable train alternative. (1)
At 6.50am, 12 activists occupied the inside, roof and front entrances of the offices on Oval Road in Camden using chains, piping and D-locks. They have unfurled a large banner from the rooftop overlooking the street which reads, “End Short Haul Flights.”
Further, around 25 travel agents across the UK last night had their front doors chained shut by activists who left signs on the windows reading, “Closed for a total rethink. See www.planestupid.com”
Campaigner for Plane Stupid, Andy Nash, explained, “Bing-flying is choking the planet to death. As warnings mount about the irreversible effects of climate change, it is totally out of order for Easyjet to be offering artificially cheap flights to destinations easily reachable by the train alternative which is over ten times less polluting.”
Activist, Leo Murray, added, “The politicians will jet off to Nairobi this week to continue with their bleating about the need for action on climate change. Meanwhile, they encourage short haul flights through their airport expansion plans and the tax breaks they give to the airline industry. When our ability to live on earth is at stake, they haven’t got the spine to sacrifice their ability to live in Portugal on the weekends.”
In the last few months, Plane Stupid grounded planes at a short-haul airport by blockading the taxiway (2) and marked the 60th Anniversary of Heathrow by chaining themselves across the entrance to BAA’s head office. They are part of a rapidly growing grassroots movement tackling the root causes of carbon emissions.
For more information/interviews:
press@planestupid.com
www.planestupid.com
PHOTOS AND FOOTAGE from previous actions are available. Pix on Monday should be available too.
(1) www.hacan.org.uk
(2) 24 activists set up a “climate camp” on the taxiway at Nottingham East Midlands Airport on September 24th. www.planestupid.com
- ENDS -
At 6.50am, 12 activists occupied the inside, roof and front entrances of the offices on Oval Road in Camden using chains, piping and D-locks. They have unfurled a large banner from the rooftop overlooking the street which reads, “End Short Haul Flights.”
Further, around 25 travel agents across the UK last night had their front doors chained shut by activists who left signs on the windows reading, “Closed for a total rethink. See www.planestupid.com”
Campaigner for Plane Stupid, Andy Nash, explained, “Bing-flying is choking the planet to death. As warnings mount about the irreversible effects of climate change, it is totally out of order for Easyjet to be offering artificially cheap flights to destinations easily reachable by the train alternative which is over ten times less polluting.”
Activist, Leo Murray, added, “The politicians will jet off to Nairobi this week to continue with their bleating about the need for action on climate change. Meanwhile, they encourage short haul flights through their airport expansion plans and the tax breaks they give to the airline industry. When our ability to live on earth is at stake, they haven’t got the spine to sacrifice their ability to live in Portugal on the weekends.”
In the last few months, Plane Stupid grounded planes at a short-haul airport by blockading the taxiway (2) and marked the 60th Anniversary of Heathrow by chaining themselves across the entrance to BAA’s head office. They are part of a rapidly growing grassroots movement tackling the root causes of carbon emissions.
For more information/interviews:
press@planestupid.com www.planestupid.com
PHOTOS AND FOOTAGE from previous actions are available. Pix on Monday should be available too.
(1) www.hacan.org.uk
(2) 24 activists set up a “climate camp” on the taxiway at Nottingham East Midlands Airport on September 24th. www.planestupid.com
- ENDS -
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Hide the following 6 comments
Oops wrong building
06.11.2006 15:03
Stelios
Terrorists!
06.11.2006 16:29
Commentator
Re: Violence
06.11.2006 16:58
How is that violent? Violence is an action or a word that is intended to hurt people. The whole point of protests such as this is that it is clearly *non*-violent.
Gerald Boyd
Where is the Violence?
07.11.2006 08:17
Isn't the act of violence one of the people who get on the flights that emit the emissions that cause the climate change that kills people.
And the people who work for Easyjet or the umbrella organisation Easygroup are complicit in these deaths. The excuse that you're just obeying orders doesn't cut it. Time to find new jobs...
Henry the Cat
Dear Stellios
08.11.2006 01:19
Hope this dosn't count as harrastment- though it only said "employees" on the warning I got, therefore, stop being such a condescending patronising [add your own expltive here], and rather than pick upon minor points such as "Oooh- they got the wrong bulinding!", (perhaps you shouldn't own so many- how much money does one man need (discuss...), and start thinking obout your own, real, personal leagcy (yes, yours, your smug [again, insert your own expletive].
Oh- how so damned clever- and hope you keep reading Indmedia- it's a damned fine site!
Mike
e-mail:
gobdylan@hotmail.com
hows your concience stellios?
08.11.2006 01:53
Ok, Stellios. Your HQ is in Luton - thats 'Easy Jet'. We did not hit 'Easy Jet' but 'Easy Group' HQ. Thats the rest of the companies you own under the same umbrela group. You make a killing, and kill, from short haul flights that people could get to without flying, and there are 160,000 people dying from climate change each year (WHO figures) - and they tend to be the poorest people on the planet. Thats killing directly attributed to the likes of you. The science is behind us Stellios, climate change is directly caused by people like you who don't even care about their own children's and grandchildrens future. I'm willing to meet you and discuss this if you could tear yourself away from your penthouse flat sometime, and I could offer you alternatives in how you could run your business ethically. I mean this Stellios, there are ways you could contribute to helping battle climate change instead of contributing to the death of the planet.
Direct action is the peoples way of saying "NO", it has a long history here mate - women only got the vote through direct action - and thats only one example. You are going to lose. Talk to us.
muppetbdave