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Protesters force BAA to close Heathrow headquarters
Last updated at 16:07pm on 20.08.07BAA's Heathrow headquarters were today forced to close after being surrounded by environmental protesters.
About 250 climate change campaigners spent last night camping in tents in the building's car park - about half-a-mile from the protesters' main site in the village of Sipson.
The group was filmed by police cameras and monitored by up to 50 officers amid concerns the protesters were using the camp as a point from which to launch a raid on the airport's north runway just 150ft away.
A spokesman for BAA said today that staff had been told to stay away from Heathrow Point, the company's main administrative headquarters.
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Protesters camp outside BAA's HQ today
A woman is led away by officers today as hundreds of protesters descended on BBA's headquarters
He added: "The protesters have been there since about 3.00pm yesterday. We have told our staff not to come in to the building. Some of them are working from home, while others are working from other sites. This is not affecting our business."
One protester said: "We researched and planned this for a long while. We moved in stealthily yesterday and by the time the police were on to us it was too late. There will be further action. This site is better, though, as it is much closer to the runway."
The campaigners clashed with riot police yesterday as they laid siege to the offices as part of 24 hours of direct action which began at noon.
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Mounted officers chase a protester
Sleeping policewoman: a climate campaigner snaps a constable dozing in her patrol car at Heathrow today
A Scotland Yard spokesman said three protesters were arrested - for suspected drugs possession, intent to cause criminal damage and assaulting police. They are being held at West Drayton police station.
Before gathering at BAA, protesters marched out of the Camp for Climate Action and through Sipson waving banners bearing slogans such as "You Fly, They Dieî and "No Third Runway: Sipson Village RIP".
Skirmishes took place in a residential area near the BAA building as police armed with shields and batons blocked protesters.
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Police wrestle with a protester
A protester in full voice in the crowd of police and campaigners
Protesters attempt to break a police cordon in Sipson near Heathrow airport
Eight campaigners who blockaded British Airways' World Cargo Fresh Perishables Centre at Hatton Cross shortly after 9pm were arrested.
They halted vehicle access to the Eastern Perimeter Road depot by lying on the ground, locked together in a ring with arm tubes.
A camp spokesman said the protest was aimed at highlighting the growing level of greenhouse gases emitted by transporting food by air.
The activists argue that importing fruit and vegetables from developing countries encourages unsustainable farming practices and keeps farmers locked into a cycle of poverty.
The total arrests at Heathrow and Biggin Hill airports since protests began last Tuesday now stands at 58.
Protesters also targeted the Sizewell B power station, Suffolk police confirmed. Officers were dealing with eight campaigners who were attempting to storm the grounds. It was reported that the headquarters of BP in St James' Square was also attacked.
Reader views (19)
I stayed on the climate camp so to highlight not only climate change but also the fact that if the runway goes ahead I will be evicted from my home as compulsory purchace will be enforced. We tried freedom of speech but like the climate protesters your not allowed a voice and feel we have no human rights in this country any more. I am disgusted in the police tactics used against these protesters, criminals are treated better than these people are. They are trying to highlight what will happen if we don't try and change things then we will all pay the consequences.
- Maria, Middlesex
What these protesters and the government are forgetting is that whatever we do regarding climate change, unless countries like USA, China and India follow suit, they are wasting their time. All this government are jumping on the bandwagon for is to extract yet more taxes from us in the name of environment tax. More hot air from the Labour party than a 747!
- Rt Notts, Nottingham UK
Presumably these so called "Heathrow Protesters" have a good deal of time on their hands. This whole pointless scenario is costing the working taxpayer a considerable amount of public money in both Police time and related expenses whilst these long haired and misguided freaks collect their benefit cheques. Personally I shall continue working hard so I can enjoy my flights abroad to visit my grandchildren.
- John P. Bursby, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
BAA made a promise when the application was made to build Terminal 5 that no more runways would be constructed. So what happened to that promise?
They are not a company to be trusted.
- Ian Meehan, Dollis Hill
As one of the protesters attempting to walk to the BAA HQ yesterday, I was shocked at the unprovoked brutality of the police. Dressed in riot gear and armed with batons, they descended on us - people of all ages and types - lashing out indiscriminately and eventually corralling us in a field, where we were effectively imprisoned for an hour. As a retired man with little stomach for physical conflict, I was amazed at their lack of restraint. I was there because of my deep concern about the risks of runaway global warming resulting in part from the unchecked growth in aviation, amidst a mood of public indifference (and more worryingly, government indifference). It is sad that ordinary people attempting to register their fears in a peaceful way are now treated as criminals or potential terrorists. But hopefully the press coverage will bring these important issues to the attention of a wider public.
- Romney Tansley, Croydon
Sizewell B is a NUCLEAR power station. This means it does not emit greenhouse gases. (OK, if you want to get pedantic, just a little bit from the materials used in the original construction.) It is therefore a good thing in terms of climate change. If we in this country, like France, met 80% of our energy needs from nuclear power then we could easily meet the most ambitious targets for greenhouse gases reduction.
- Cm, London, UK
Madness! Al-Qaeda don't even get this much police and security surveillance and they want to blow the place up!
On a serious note, how can BAA which is a PLC be "given" a new runway by the Government and hide behind the Compulsory purchase laws, instead of buying land and properties in the open market?
Surely this is giving a PLC an unfair advantage and therefore affecting share prices?
- Jim, Heathrow, UK
Bunch of unwashed tree huggers is never going to change anything. I really hope the Police put the boot in as I find these people as tiresome as I do absurd.
- Jk, London, UK
Same protesters - different cause. I can't take these people seriously because they just jump onto the latest bandwagon. They are about as committed to saving the planet as they are to having a wash and a haircut. Phoney.
- Dan, Manchester
Why can't we see this level of violence by the Police imposed on drug dealers, and gang members? Answer, because they'd fight back. The Police acted like playground bullies. I am disgusted.
- Philip, London, England
In reply to the previous comment; how can you possibly draw such conclusions based on the 'evidence' of a man's facial expresion in a photograph. You have no idea what he was trying to achieve, but I doubt very much that it was 'attempting to trample' a protestor. The point being that neither you nor I can possibly interpret the situation based on a single photograph to fit in with our own personal points of view.
- Jen, London, UK
Do you think we could possibly get all the airlines to ban all of these protestors from every flying again. Next time they want to fly off to Thailand or wherever it is these hippies go...make them cycle.
The amount of police time and our money wasted these last few days is ridiculous.
- Preeti, London
While these protesters seem to believe that only they are aware of climate change and capable of doing something about it, other, more talented and capable people are actually getting on with doing constructive work on the issue.
- Steve R, London, UK
Whilst I agree with the protestors I feel that peaceful protest is not the way ahead- the government doesn't pay any attention to peaceful protests.
Civil disobedience is required to make the government pay attention and then they need to be embarrassed into changing their offensive policies.
The Poll Tax riots and the Iraq anti-war march are excellent examples.
- Dave, London
It is apparent that the little scurmish outsided the BAA HQ will be nothing to when the real demolition of peoples' homes and properties begins in a few year's time. What is not realised is that BAA is no longer 'British' Airports Authority but belongs to two Spanish billionaires who also own the huge Spanish construction / property development Ferovial. In purchasing BAA they also inherited the grandfather rights of compulsory purchase of all properties in the way of airport expansion. It is the only foreign owned company can legally demolish other people's properties. Ferovial doesn't give a damn about Climate Change of the Climate Camp. Fears of direct intimidation from Ferovial against protesters is already causing some concern around Heathrow.
- S Byers, London UK
There were 1,800 police officers there. The camp had a thousand people! Why were armed police beating and wounding unarmed environmental protesters? The last photo shows the way to deal with protesters firmly applied restraint as indicated by the calm and composed expressions of the officers. Sharply contrasting this is the twisted, angry face of the mounted officer who is seen attempting to trample a protester with his horse.
The police have their role to play in upholding law, since when has this extended to violent assaults on non violent members of the public?
- R. Philpot, Northhampton
I will go along with the Government's decison. The protest as was established, was going to be ugly and this I knew from start.
Those who took part had their fun and now they get to say that they were not faulty and the police behaved badly.
- Mayavan Siva-Cumarasamy, Wallington,Surrey
I was there during the fights going into Sipson. I can't believe how weak the crusties' attack was. They were easily pushed back by the Police. Onc nil to the Police I think.
- Tony, Liverpool
Presumably when not incurring massive public expense in extra policing they will be hard at work planting trees to offset the carbon emissions of busing in the extra police to keep an eye on them?
- Steve, Hereford
