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Plane protesters lock down jet with 'human wheel clamp' at City airport
Five protesters in pinstriped suits and bowler hats chained themselves to a private jet at London City Airport this morning.
The activists, members of the anti-aviation expansion network Plane Stupid, used bolt cutters to saw through the perimeter fence by the runway at 2.30am.
They were found by security guards chained together in a circle around one of the planes.
One was Tamsin Omond, the 24-year-old grand-daughter of Sir Thomas Lees, a fourth generation Dorset baronet.
The Cambridge graduate has been involved in some of the campaign's high profile attacks including scaling the Palace of Westminster in protest over a third runway at Heathrow
Spokeswoman Nancy Birch said the "human wheel clamp" was designed to highlight the "selfishness" of private jet use.
"Our intention was to stage a corporate takeover of the private jet centre with all our protesters in business suits," she said.
"Small jets emit between five and 10 times more carbon per passenger than commercial flights. It's time they were grounded for good."
She said the group had found a CCTV blind spot in the perimeter fence, about 100 yards from the security hut.
"This is a central, busy airport and a major terrorist target but getting into it was child's play," she said.
At police arrived to cut the steel tubes, known as arm locks, off the protesters but Miss Birch said the group had fortified the chains to make it harder.
A spokeswoman for City Airport said there could be a "slight delay" to the schedule for the private jets.
But she added: "This has not disrupted the main airport. The safety of our passengers and staff remain a priority but we do not expect any flights to be significantly affected.
"This is now a police matter and we expect there to be arrests for criminal damage and breaking and entering."
Plane Stupid said it had a legal expert on hand to deal with any arrests.
Source
Five protesters in pinstriped suits and bowler hats chained themselves to a private jet at London City Airport this morning.
The activists, members of the anti-aviation expansion network Plane Stupid, used bolt cutters to saw through the perimeter fence by the runway at 2.30am.
They were found by security guards chained together in a circle around one of the planes.
One was Tamsin Omond, the 24-year-old grand-daughter of Sir Thomas Lees, a fourth generation Dorset baronet.
The Cambridge graduate has been involved in some of the campaign's high profile attacks including scaling the Palace of Westminster in protest over a third runway at Heathrow
Spokeswoman Nancy Birch said the "human wheel clamp" was designed to highlight the "selfishness" of private jet use.
"Our intention was to stage a corporate takeover of the private jet centre with all our protesters in business suits," she said.
"Small jets emit between five and 10 times more carbon per passenger than commercial flights. It's time they were grounded for good."
She said the group had found a CCTV blind spot in the perimeter fence, about 100 yards from the security hut.
"This is a central, busy airport and a major terrorist target but getting into it was child's play," she said.
At police arrived to cut the steel tubes, known as arm locks, off the protesters but Miss Birch said the group had fortified the chains to make it harder.
A spokeswoman for City Airport said there could be a "slight delay" to the schedule for the private jets.
But she added: "This has not disrupted the main airport. The safety of our passengers and staff remain a priority but we do not expect any flights to be significantly affected.
"This is now a police matter and we expect there to be arrests for criminal damage and breaking and entering."
Plane Stupid said it had a legal expert on hand to deal with any arrests.
Source
