Plane Stupid
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| Founded | 2005, UK |
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| Focus | Environmental |
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Area served
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UK |
| Method | NonviolenceDirect Action |
| Website | www |
Plane Stupid is a UK-focused group of environmental protesters who state their aim as wanting to see an end to airport expansion for what it sees as "unnecessary and unsustainable" flights. It is a loose association of autonomous regional groups, and is funded by donations.
The group was founded in 2005 by Joss Garman, Richard George and Graham Thompson. In January 2008 Joss Garman was named by The Guardian as one of its "50 people who could save the planet" for his campaigning work around aviation.
The group was formed in September 2005 when a group of activists decided to disrupt an international aviation conference held in a central London hotel. They released helium balloons with personal alarms up to the ceiling during the keynote speech by a senior British Airways executive.
In September 2006 Plane Stupid blocked a taxiway at East Midlands Airport for four hours. Leicestershire police said that officers were on scene within minutes, but by that time airport security already had the demonstrators contained and therefore they did not find it necessary to deploy all the resources available to them.
In October 2007 Plane Stupid blockaded the entrance to at Manchester Airport's departure lounge in terminal 3.
In March 2008, around 300 people who took part in an hour-long flashmob protest during the opening of Heathrow's Terminal 5 in March 2008, against proposals to build a third runway for Heathrow Airport. A spokesman for the BAA spokesman stated that “This pressure group would do far better to engage with the aviation industry in proper debate on climate issues rather than in publicity stunts.” and Michelle Di Leo, from Flying Matters commented that “Plane Stupid are indulging in irresponsible gestures.
On 8 December 2008 Plane Stupid activists occupied a taxiway at London Stansted Airport. The protest occurred during the 2008 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Poznań. They breached security whilst the runway was closed and prevented it from re-opening as planned at 05:00. 57 protesters were later arrested. BAA said protesters did not get on to the runway, but it was closed as a "precaution". Fifty-six Ryanair flights were cancelled and 56,000 passengers were delayed by the protest.
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Wikipedia