Seven activists from Just Stop Oil, an environmental activist group, staged a protest at Gatwick Airport's South Terminal by blocking departure gates and obstructing an entrance.
The protesters sat on the floor, using suitcases with lock-on devices, forcing passengers to climb over them, as shown in videos shared by the group.
The protest aimed to disrupt travelers and demand action on climate change from political leaders, specifically to end oil, gas, and coal extraction and burning by 2030, as part of a global demand for a fossil fuel treaty.
Despite the protest, Gatwick Airport remained open and operating normally, with most people able to get past the protest without much difficulty, according to news.yahoo.com and movies.yahoo.com.
Sussex Police arrested eight people, including individuals like Mel Carrington and Greg Sculthorpe, for interfering with public infrastructure.
The protesters were removed, and the airport confirmed it was operating normally with no disruption from the protest activity.
Just Stop Oil stated the protest started at 8 am and emphasized the need for political leaders to take immediate action against climate breakdown. The group mentioned plans for civil resistance in key areas of the fossil fuel economy worldwide this summer.
Mel Carrington, a protester, expressed concern about the impact of global heating on society, crop failures, and economic meltdowns, according to the Telegraph.
Just Stop Oil activists are conducting acts in the UK and collaborating with international groups to raise awareness about the impact of fossil fuels on the environment and demand a fossil fuel treaty by 2030.
Gatwick Airport recently obtained a High Court injunction to prevent potential disruptions by environmental activists, warning of "severe disruption and financial loss" from such actions. Previous protests at European airports resulted in activists gluing themselves to runways, causing flights to be grounded.
Last week, 10 Just Stop Oil activists were also arrested for suspected plans to disrupt Heathrow Airport, and one person was arrested for criminal damage in Westminster. These actions were part of the "Oil Kills international uprising" taking place at airports globally.
The incident at Gatwick Airport follows days of disruption across Europe, with protesters targeting holidaymakers and major airports in France and Germany, as well as rail lines in France, causing widespread disruption to highlight the impact of climate change, according to Chronicle Live.
In 2022, two Just Stop Oil activists threw tomato soup at Vincent van Gogh's Sunflowers painting at the National Gallery of Art in London and were found guilty of criminal damage.
Five Just Stop Oil protesters, including a co-founder, have been jailed for a plot to block the M25 motorway, and ten climate activists were charged after a protest at Heathrow airport, according to Sky News.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: Sky News, The Sun, Yahoo News, City AM, WION, Chronicle Live, Evening Standard, Jersey Evening Post, Aviation Source News, Travel Gossip, Newschain Online, The Telegraph.