Highlights
– Greenpeace activists breach security at Heathrow Airport
– Demonstrators from “Plane Stupid” evade security at British Parliament
– Environmental activists likely to stage similar protests in the near to mid-term
Activists from several environmental groups have stepped up protests against plans to expand London’s Heathrow Airport over the past several weeks, claiming that the actions are necessary in order to “force the government to listen.” Specifically, the activists are protesting government proposals to construct a third runway and sixth terminal at Heathrow, which they claim will cause undo environmental harm.
We believe that actions such as those launched by environmental groups over the past two weeks will continue in the near to mid-term, as the British government moves forward with the expansion plans.
Greenpeace Activists Breach Security at Heathrow
On February 25, 2008 activists from Greenpeace were able to reach the tarmac at Heathrow International Airport, climb on top of a British Airways plane, and hang a banner from the plane’s tail denouncing the proposed expansion. According to statements from the involved protesters, they arrived on a flight from Manchester and ducked through doors near the arrival gate, which led to a set of broken security doors that opened to the taxiway.
Four activists were arrested as a result of the incident, however airport owner British Airports Authority (BAA) announced that operations at the airport were not affected.
Protesters Evade Security, Reach Parliament Roof
In a separate security breach, on February 27, 2008, five activists from a group called “Plane Stupid” climbed to the roof of Britain’s Houses of Parliament. Atop the roof the activists were able to hang a banner and throw paper airplanes at those below.
While officials initially could not explain how the protesters were able to reach the roof and successfully carry out a demonstration, on February 28, 2008 police arrested a 26-year old man, who has worked with members from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, on suspicion of helping the activists breach security at the site. Authorities believe there is a “strong probability” that a parliamentary pass holder was involved in the incident, as visitors to Parliament must receive an invitation from a lawmaker or be accompanied by a pass holder to enter the facility.
Incidents Spark Security Concerns
While both of these protests were peaceful and did not cause disruptions to operations at either of the sites, the ability of the activists to gain access to restricted areas/high security facilities is concerning. Security at both Heathrow and Parliament have been increased significantly over the years, in light of the ongoing terrorist threat to the country and various other incidents that have taken place at the two locations.
While the activists from both environmental groups pose little security threat, their ability to evade security measures has highlighted the potential for other, more dangerous individuals to also access such sensitive areas. Therefore, we believe there is a significant likelihood that officials will raise security at these sites in the near-term due to the recent events and as the investigations into the incidents continue.
Additionally, it should be noted that these locations were likely chosen to maximize the desired effect and increase public exposure to both group’s causes.
Similar Protests Expected in Near to Mid-Term
Greenpeace, “Plane Stupid,” and other environmental groups have vowed to continue their efforts to halt all expansion plans for Heathrow Airport. Additionally, these individuals have indicated they “need to take protests to another level to get the government to listen.” As such, we expect environmental activists to stage demonstrations similar to those at Heathrow and Parliament in the near to mid-term, as they work to achieve their goals. We believe these protests will remain largely peaceful, as they are primarily for publicity purposes. Greenpeace, in particular, is known for staging publicity stunts in an effort to attract a significant amount of public attention.
It is likely that a significant portion of future actions by environmental groups protesting the expansion plans will be acts of civil disobedience that remain relatively non-violent in nature, similar to the past events staged by these activists. However, there is the potential for future actions to disrupt operations at the affected site, specifically if similar demonstrations are held at Heathrow Airport.
