Eleven climate change activists will be appearing in Uxbridge Magistrates
Court at 10am on Friday 18th September 2009.

The eleven were arrested on 22nd June 2009 after an action at Heathrow’s
Terminal Three during celebrations of Virgin Atlantic’s 25th birthday party.
Activists wanted to highlight Virgin’s plans to replace conventional
aviation fuel with destructive biofuels, allowing the industry to expand.
The action involved two men, dressed as stewardesses, standing on top of the
entrance to the Virgin complex at Terminal 3. Outside more activists, also
dressed as stewardesses, unfurled a banner reading, “Aviation Industry: no
way out” and “Climate Criminals Inside”.

After fiften minutes chatting to passengers and displaying the banner,
police and FIT (Forward Intelligence Team) arrived. The police spoke to
demonstrators while the FIT team filmed and photographed before asking the
activists were asked to move on. Police then claimed that if they took down
their banner and gave their name and addresses they would be free to leave
the premises. Nine of the activists complied after a short deliberation.
These activists were soon surprised as the police reversed their decision,
arresting the nine activists for breaching Heathrow Bylaws. Hannah McClure,
one of the arrestees says “I’m still in shock after assurances that we
wouldn’t be arrested by the police, and we’re now being taking to court for
peacefully expressing our criticism of aviation industry and Virgin’s
investments in biofuels.”

Laura McFarlane Shopes expressed, “I just can’t believe that we are being
taken to court for holding a banner to inform citizens about Virgin’s
actions. The idea that biofuels will play any part in the solution to
climate change is farcical as well as the charges being brought against us.
The aviation industry knows that if we are to stop irreversible climate
change then we need to make some serious changes. These charges will not
stop concerned citizens taking action to makes the changes this country
needs.”