Highlights
– Environmental activists planning to stage a “flash mob” at the Department of Transportation on July 3, 2008
– In March 2008, activists held a similar “flash mob” protest at Heathrow Airport
– Protests and acts of civil disobedience related to the proposed expansion of Heathrow Airport likely to continue in the near to mid-term
Environmental activists are planning to stage a “flash mob” in London on July 3, 2008, as part of their ongoing campaign against the proposed expansion of Heathrow International Airport (Previous Report, Previous Report).
We believe that the event will draw a mid-sized turnout, as seen during a similar “flash mob” event held by activists, and will remain largely non-violent in nature, as it is designed primarily to attract greater attention to the campaign.
Paper Plane “Flash Mob”
Environmental activists from various groups have announced that they will hold a “flash mob” protest on July 3, 2008 outside the Department of Transportation in London, United Kingdom (UK), aimed at “telling transport secretary Ruth Kelly why plans for the third runway must be scrapped.” Those participating in the “flash mob,” or “a large group of people who assemble quickly in a public place, perform an unusual action for a brief period of time, then quickly disperse,” have been instructed to bring paper planes stating “No To Airport Expansion” that they will launch at the building.
Activists are scheduled to meet at 11 a.m. outside the Department of Transportation, then at 11:03 a.m. will reveal their “Stop Airport Expansion” tee-shirts, and finally at 11:05 a.m. will launch their paper airplanes in the direction of the building.
Greenpeace is one of the various groups promoting the upcoming event, and has encouraged participants to later move on to Downing Street, Parliament, or anywhere else that Ruth Kelly “may be hiding” to launch additional paper airplanes in protest of the proposed expansion.
Previous “Flash Mob” Protest
In March 2008, environmental activists staged a “flash mob” protest at Heathrow Airport, timed to coincide with the opening of the new Terminal 5. While those organizing the event had claimed that approximately 1,000 individuals would attend the demonstration, police reports indicated only about 250 activists attended. No major incidents were reported during the “flash mob” protest, although police did stop and question several activists and removed three people from the airport.
Security Breaches at Earlier Demonstrations
As stated previously, environmental activists have continued to stage various protests over the past several months in opposition to the expansion of Heathrow Airport, including noteworthy instances where individuals were able to breach security at a targeted site.
– On February 27, 2008, activists from Plane Stupid evaded security at Britain’s Houses of Parliament when they climbed to the roof to hang a banner and throw paper airplanes at those below (Incident). According to recent media reports, three individuals involved in the incident now face trespassing charges.
– On February 25, 2008, Greenpeace activists breached security at Heathrow Airport, where they were able to reach the tarmac, climb on top of a plane, and hang a banner from the aircraft’s tail (Incident).
Outlook
We believe that the upcoming “flash mob” protest at the Department of Transportation will remain largely non-violent in nature and attract a number of individuals similar to the previous “flash mob” demonstration. However, as seen with the events in February 2008 at Heathrow Airport and the Houses of Parliament, the potential remains that activists will engage in acts of civil disobedience in an effort to attract further media and public attention to their efforts.
Additionally, we continue to anticipate protests against the proposed expansion of Heathrow Airport in the near to mid-term, as activists continue their campaign to halt these plans. As stated previously, the upcoming annual Camp for Climate Action in August 2008 in the UK will include a day of action at Heathrow Airport. Last year’s camp was centered on the airport, and clashes occurred between activists and police during a demonstration (Previous Report). A large number of individuals are expected to attend this year’s camp, and while events will remain largely peaceful, acts of civil disobedience are likely to occur.