BAA, who own Heathrow airport, told the High Court this morning that the injunction, intended to prevent direct action during the week-long climate change demonstration disrupting the airport, would apply to all members of three environmental groups and anyone working in their name. This potentially covers 5 million people.
Gary Dwyer from the Camp for Climate Action was in court yesterday and told the Ecologist that judge Mrs Justice Swift spent almost two hours determining who BAA wanted to ban from protesting. It was unclear whether BAA were seeking an injunction against four named individuals: Joss Garman, Leo Murray, Geraldine Nicholson and John Stewart; the groups they represent; or the camp itself. To confuse matters further, the four named individuals are not the camp organisers.
BAA today confirmed that they are seeking an injunction against three campaigning groups: AirportWatch, the No Third Runway Action Group (NTRAG) and Plane Stupid. AirportWatch is an umbrella group of environmental organisations, including The Woodland Trust and the Campaign to Protect Rural England, who are opposed to the government’s aggressive programme of airport expansion and have a combined membership of 5 million people.
Under the terms of the injunction, members of these organisations would be banned from travelling to the climate camp, planned for August 14- 21, via routes including: the London Underground Piccadilly line, all trains travelling towards Heathrow and the M4 motorway. Gary Dwyer told the Ecologist that: “If you are at Cockfosters [station] and a member of the RSPB with a balloon in your hand” you would “fall under the injunction”.
Camp for Climate Action campaigners remain committed to raising awareness of the environmental threat posed by uncontrolled airport expansion. Gary Dwyer said: “the most important thing is that we won’t be stifled. The Climate Camp will go ahead irrespective. Until BAA acts sustainably, it should be and will be a target for action on climate change”.
Click here for more details about the Camp for Climate Action.
This article first appeared in the Ecologist August 2007
