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We will keep on fighting say Commons protesters
Benedict Moore-Bridger, Jack Lefley and Valentine Low28 Feb 2008
Activists who climbed onto the House of Commons roof today insisted their protest was to "protect the lives of millions".
Speaking exclusively to the Standard, the five protesters revealed they would not be deterred and were planning more direct action.
Tamsin Omond, Graham Thompson, Olivia Chessell, Leo Murray and Richard George unfurled banners and handcuffed themselves to the Palace of Westminster to demonstrate over the expansion of Heathrow.
The activists, all members of climate change group Plane Stupid, were arrested on suspicion of trespass and taken to Belgravia police station amid fears that they had been given "inside help".
They were held for more than 13 hours as detectives grilled the protesters individually, after they were detained under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act.
The protesters were finally released at 1.30am and met by other members of Plane Stupid.
Speaking outside the police station, Mr Thompson told the Standard they had not been deterred from taking such extreme action, but refused to comment on whether they had received inside help.
He said: "Today's events have revealed two things. First, there is a grave concern inside, outside and indeed on top of the Houses of Parliament about the collusion between BAA and the Government on the issue of a third runway at Heathrow.
"Second, both the Government and the media are yet to wake up to the real security crisis which is presented by the reality of catastrophic climate change.
"The five of us acted today - on the last day of the consultation - to highlight that this Government is taking instruction from a corporation that is not interested in stopping climate-change." The 34-year-old, who has recently been painting at a youth club as punishment for his part in a direct-action campaign at East Midlands Airport in September 2006, said the Government was ignoring the real will of the people.
"There is nowhere in the consultation document for people to tell the Government 'I don't want the third runway', so in this time of climate crisis and in the absence of a democratic process, people will continue to take direct action to protect the lives of millions, today and in the future."
Meanwhile more details emerged about one of the newer members of the group - Cambridge graduate Tamsin Omond. The 23-year-old, who says she was inspired by the suffragettes, volunteers five days a week as the parish administrator at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Primrose Hill.
The vicar at the church, the Reverend Robert Atwell, said her actions had caught him completely by surprise. "I did not have a clue," he said. "She asked me if she could have a day off but did not say why. Tamsin is not bonkers. She is a normal person."
Mr Atwell said that Miss Omond - a lesbian described by a former girlfriend as "fiery" and "beautiful" - was living with friends in nearby Belsize Park after graduating last summer with a degree in English literature.
He praised her work since she took up her post last September, calling her a "committed Christian" and a "wonderful young woman", but would not be drawn on whether she risked losing her job.
Malcolm Carroll, a spokesman for Plane Stupid, said it was "far too soon" to think about further action.
He added: "It is great the five have been released but they were not really that worried about that - what we are really concerned about is the situation regarding Heathrow."
The five have been bailed to return to a central London police station in April.
Reader views (4)
A Government giving foreign corporations the right of expansion and the right to remove families from their homes.
A country with no human rights given to the families children and old people no right to family life.
Are we talking about China, or a third world country struggling to feed starving people or another country with bad record on human of rights records?
No we are talking about England.
I live in Sipson village under the shadow of government's almighty Airport expansion. I am a women bringing up 2 children in a situation I never thought possible in England. I look around and ask in a country that gives opportunity to every nationality turning up on our doorstep. Human rights to terrorists, murderers, rapists and child molesters what have I done.
My crime is living in Sipson village, we don't have human rights it's not in our government's policy to give human rights to families that get in their way.
But the policy of this country to take your home and your land to let foreign companies & industry make billions of pounds from our misery.
At present, this has cost us our family life, Worry and distress.
Do I condemn the protesters would you in my position? Who cares about us?
Wife of a Very upset & stressed airport worker.
- Maxine Payne, sipson site of the proposed third runway, 29/02/2008 12:11
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I agree with Dr Leigh that there is going to be a backlash by 'the people'. A government is elected to serve the people. There is a group in power who seem to think they are elitist and beyond the call of duty. My husband and I attended the rally at Westminster on Monday 25th Feb. The great hall was full and another hall had to be opened to take the overflow. There was talk then of direct action among, not students but the 'nice middle-classes'. I think the government is in for a shock. We are all fed up with this group of 'dictators' who have chosen to ignore the people they are supposed to represent and instead bow to a business which is cracking up and delivering a worse than mediocre service to this country. We are worried about our environment. We do not want a third runway. We do not want any other expansion at Heathrow. We will keep on fighting.
- Maggie Morris, london UK, 29/02/2008 12:09
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The arrogance of Brown, to say that we should air our views in the House of Commons instead of on the roof, but he isn't listening, brilliant Brown, you just shot yourself in the foot, we ask you not to build a third runway but your cosy in bed chats with BAA will lead to one, we do not matter, but if you go ahead you do so at your peril. Do you think that the 3000 people last Monday who actually by their donations paid for the expensive hall, were not serious? Ruth Kelly, resign, you are a traitor to the people of the UK.
- Pam, twickenham, 29/02/2008 11:39
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I completely support the protesters about prevention of a third runway for Heathrow. I have to admit bias. I lived in Richmond till 31 -33 years ago. My parents both in their 90s live directly under the flight path. From 4 ish in the morning the noise and filth and possible danger of a procession of planes makes life intolerable. It is a wonder that with so many influential people in London SW. no real protest has got off the ground yet. But don`t underestimate the "nice" middle classes- for all sorts of reasons they have had enough- I think the protests will make the pro hunting lobby of a few years ago - look like chicken feed.
I think we are also completely fed up having a party in power which has a second rater as P.M.To say the least he did not have one iota of humour in him when he appeared on TV yesterday commenting with little grace about a not unpleasant lot on the roof of the House. Good for them and their campaign.
- Dr Michael Waugh, Leeds UK, 28/02/2008 14:13
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