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Climate Rush targets Heathrow and Manchester airport on the 12 January 2009

g | 12.01.2009 09:53 | Climate Chaos | Ecology | Health

This week the government is expected to give the go ahead for the third runway at Heathrow. The pressure group 'Climate Rush' have announced a sit-down 'dinner' at the Departures Gate of Terminal One in Heathrow Airport on Monday 12th. The Climate Rush dinner will begin at 7pm and is expected to last several hours. At the same time Manchester airports Domestic Departures (Terminal 3) will also be targeted. BAA has been preparing for the protests by sending threatening letters to people who've said they'll attend.

'The Climate Rush' held their first protest last October (13th October). Taking their inspiration from the Suffragettes they mounted a 'rush' on Parliament. Over 800 women, men and children, some in Edwardian costume, all with red climate sashes, rushed the Houses of Parliament. The doors were slammed shut, Parliament was forced to close for an hour and the shouts of 'Deeds not Words' was heard throughout the Palaces of Westminster.

Related Links: Climate Rush Heathrow | Northern Climate Rush | Directions to Heathrow | FAQs | Artport |

Related articles: Climate Rush Media coverage | Parliament Rushed | Suffragettes interrupt the Energy Minister in preparation for the Climate Rush | Parliament statues get sashed | invitation to Ed Miliband | Klimax members storm a municipal city council | Third Runway Article, Telegraph | Party at Heathrow, Guardian | Heathrow Blockade, Times | Protesters Plot, Evening Standard | Caroline Lucas, Guardian | Protesters to close Heathrow |

Video and photos: Parliament Rush Photos | Climate Rush Photos | Video 1 | Video 2 | Video 3 | Caroline Lucas speech | Rush Invite

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Apart from dinner in Domestic Departures there will be acoustic sets and a new art collective called 'ARTPORT' will hope to transform Heathrow Airport into Heathrow Artport. This looks to be a creative claiming of Terminal One.

The Climate Rush has chosen its new target because the decision over whether Heathrow airport should expand is expected this week. The Climate Rush are hoping their dinner will give the government a clear idea of the level of action to expect if they make the wrong decision.

Late last year Stansted airport was targeted by campaign group Plane Stupid. This week 22 members of the group were sentenced for their part in blockading the runway and causing 57 flights to be cancelled.Most of the activists were ordered to do between 50 and 90 hours of community service.

A Plane Stupid spokesperson, Leo Murry said, "The sentences were surprisingly harsh but we went into it with our eyes open and we are ready to take the consequences."

District Judge John Perkins said, "Substantial loss was caused to the authorities that were carrying out lawful activities. I accept there is an honourable tradition of peaceful protest in this country and long may it continue, but that does not justify the sort of activity that you were involved in."

More than 50 Plane Stupid activists now face being sued for damages by Ryanair who have begun a £2.2 million compensation claim for loss of revenue after being forced to cancel 57 flights. They are also seeking almost £500,000 for "reputational damage". At the moment the claim is against Stansted operators BAA but the airline has refused to rule out suing individual protesters in the civil courts at a later date.

The place stupid website has been taken offline by the service providers after pressure from BAA.

g

Comments

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revisionism on the Suffragette movement by climate rush

12.01.2009 14:02

From their website:

"Climate Rush is inspired by the actions of the Suffragettes 100 years ago, who showed that peaceful civil disobedience could inspire positive change."

This is utterly false. The Suffragette Movement was known for it violent acts - arson, sabotage. For a brief overview:
The Act of Militancy: Violence and the Suffragettes, 1904-1914 by Brian Harrison
 http://www.worc.ac.uk/CHIC/suffrage/document/violsufa.htm

Don't get me wrong I support property damage, but for Climate Rush to be inspired by the actions only to define the Suffragettes as "peaceful civil disobedience" is really just pissing on the graves of thousands of brave women who took up that fight.

a

Depends on how you define 'violence'

12.01.2009 18:31

Most of the activists I know would argue vehemently that arson and sabotage are examples of non-violent direct action, and I agree.

Surely 'violence' means harm to people and animals? How can damage to property and other inanimate objects qualify as violent?

Wandering Pedant

the point

12.01.2009 18:46

The point is that it was not "peaceful" it was anything but and many hundreds of working class women were imprisoned because they needed to take action at that illegal and often non-peaceful and violent way. To suggest that the suffragettes struggle was peaceful is revisionism to suit the organisers.

anyway goodluck with it tonight!

a