Environmental protest group Extinction Rebellion drops summer Heathrow disruption plan

A GROUP of environmental activists has dropped plans to disrupt air traffic coming in and out of Britain’s Heathrow Airport which could have grounded several flights bound for Spain.

Extinction Rebellion said in a statement their plan to ground flights this and next month in protest against the planned expansion of the London airport had been dropped.

Activists planned to fly drones nearby the airport to force air traffic controllers to ground flights, Extinction Rebellion said.

“Fear and apprehension have swirled around this plan since an internal proposal was leaked to the media. The subsequent accusation that Extinction Rebellion was willing to endanger life is a depressing and predictable smear,” the group said.

“What endangers life on this planet is the continued and unfetted release of greenhouse gas emissions that will lead to a runaway temperature rise and the breakdown of life as we know it,” Extinction Rebellion added. 

The group stated that it was deliberately aiming to disrupt holiday flights during the summer. Many of those flights would have been bound for Spain.

London police had previously told the activists they faced lengthy prison sentences if they went ahead with their plan.

Extinction Rebellion is known for its direct action and civil disobedience tactics. The group rose to prominence after staging protests across London which brought parts of the British capital to a standstill earlier this year.