Just Stop Oil activists in sit-down protest at London Heathrow Airport
Just Stop Oil supporters held a sit-down protest at London Heathrow Airport today, just one day after activists from the group blocked departure gates at Gatwick.
One of today’s two activists was Phoebe Plummer, who last week was found guilty of criminal damage after throwing soup over Vincent van Gogh’s painting Sunflowers.
The 22-year-old will be sentenced on September 27 over the incident at the National Gallery in London in October 2022 and has been warned by a judge to expect jail.
Yesterday, Just Stop Oil said seven activists entered Gatwick’s South Terminal at about 8am and ‘used suitcases with lock-on devices to block the departure gates’.
The protesters then sat on the floor inside the airport, blocking an entrance – but passengers with suitcases stepped over them to continue with their journeys.
Two Just Stop Oil supporters hold a sit-down protest at London Heathrow Airport this morning
Two Just Stop Oil supporters hold a sit-down protest at London Heathrow Airport this morning
Two Just Stop Oil supporters hold a sit-down protest at London Heathrow Airport this morning
Sussex Police said eight people were arrested on suspicion of interfering with public infrastructure, and a ‘heightened police presence should be expected at this time’.
Elsewhere in London yesterday, environmental protesters from another group caused criminal damage and blocked access to the office building of the think tank Policy Exchange on Old Queen Street in Westminster.
One person was arrested for criminal damage.
The members of Extinction Rebellion held banners bearing the words ‘Policy Exchange – cut the ties to fossil fuels’.
Last week, ten Just Stop Oil activists suspected of planning to disrupt Heathrow were arrested.
None of the activists were able to get into the airport, according to the Metropolitan Police.
It comes after Just Stop Oil held a separate protest at London Gatwick Airport yesterday
Phoebe Plummer (left) – who was involved in today’s Heathrow protest- was last week found guilty of criminal damage after throwing soup over Vincent van Gogh’s painting Sunflowers
The latest action is part of the ‘Oil Kills international uprising’, the group said, taking place at airports around the world.
Earlier this month, Gatwick became the latest major airport to secure a High Court injunction in an attempt to stop would-be environmental activists trespassing on its land after receiving police intelligence over protest plans.
More to follow
