Eco-Protesters Climb Plane at Heathrow

by Brian A Kennedy | February 26, 2008 at 05:07 am

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Five Greenpeace activists were arrested at Heathrow Airport yesterday after climbing a British Airways passenger jet and wrapping a banner around its tail. The activists were protesting plans to build a third runway at the airport.

LONDON Feb 25, 2008 (AP)

Five environmental activists were arrested after they climbed onto a plane at London's Heathrow Airport on Monday to protest plans to build a third runway there.

Greenpeace said the activists walked across the tarmac and climbed onto the British Airways Airbus A320 after it landed on a domestic flight from Manchester in northern England.

The three men and two women wrapped a banner around the tail fin reading: "Climate Emergency No Third Runway."

Greenpeace opposes plans for a third runway at Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, saying it would make global warming worse by increasing carbon dioxide emissions.

Heathrow operator BAA PLC said the protesters were arrested after about 90 minutes and taken to the airport's police station. The activists were later released on bail, police said.

BAA PLC said the airport was operating normally Monday and that a full investigation would be launched.