Protestors launch Heathrow drone, but airport says flights unaffected
Heathrow insists flights are operating normally this morning despite climate change activists’ claims that they successfully launched drone intended to cause disruption at the airport.
The Extinction Rebellion splinter group, Heathrow Pause, said it intends to launch more drones, at ‘head height’ within the airport’s 5kms exclusion zone today.
In a post on Twitter, it said had attempted three drone flights, one of which was successful. One protestor, former Paralympian James Brown, is understood to have handed himself into police at Terminal 2 following the drone flight.
A further nine arrests have been made by police, including Extinction Rebellion co-founder Roger Hallam on Thursday night.
Two men were arrested in the early hours of Friday morning on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a public nuisance within the perimeter of Heathrow.
A large police presence is evident at Heathrow today, but flights appear to be departing and landing as normal.
Protesters have been warned they could be handed life sentences if found to be endangering the lives of passengers.
Members of Heathrow Pause are trying to persuade the government to rethink the expansion of Heathrow, which, they say, will lead to more flights and increase carbon emissions.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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