This Probably Couldn't Happen Here

The perimeter fence at Nottingham East Midlands Airport was scaled last week by 24 people who belong to a group called "Plane Stupid". The protesters, who were members of a larger environmental group, Climate Camp, staged a sit-in on a taxiway to protest what they said was the effect aviation has on climate change.

The group's spokesman, Joss Garman, said "Aviation is the greatest contributor to climate change... according to the UN, 150,000 people die every year from climate change. That is a 9/11 every week. The only reasonable solution is to stop short-haul flights."

Protesters then held a "service of remembrance" They were led by an activist Baptist Minister.

A spokesperson for the Leicestershire Police said the protesters were detained by officers and airport staff and did not gain access to any airplanes or to crucial parts of the airport, according to the Yorkshire Post.

The airport was not disrupted because no flights had been scheduled during the protest. The 24 were detained under various offenses to the Aviation Security Act, and then released.

In an entirely unrelated story... except that it also involves a British airport... an unexploded WWII anti-aircraft artillery shell was discovered  last week at Heathrow Airport near London. Construction on a new terminal was halted when the round was discovered during excavation. After cordoning off the area, the still-live shell was moved to a safe place where it was exploded... 60-plus years after it was supposed to.

FMI: www.planestupid.com,  www.heathrowairport.com