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‘The only thing green about him is the slime in his veins’
6 Mar 2009Leila Deen, Lord Mandelson's slime-throwing tormentor, is so principled in her opposition to the aviation industry she forced her 60-year-old mother to spend three days travelling overland to Morocco.
The 29-year-old, a leading activist with Plane Stupid and a veteran of several daring stunts, would not countenance flying. On Friends Reunited, she declares: “I have begun to finally direct my arsy attitude towards felling the establishment and saving the world.”
Ms Deen was first arrested in 2005 after climbing a crane to protest at the G8 summit in Scotland. Two years later she superglued herself to the Department for Transport's doors and two days ago she disrupted a speech by Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon by sounding a klaxon, or “lie detector horn”, when she thought he had told an untruth.
Last Boxing Day she set off for Morocco with sister Emma, 31, and their mother Sheila. It took three days to get there by train and boat. “I wouldn't let her fly there,” said Ms Deen. Although her mother was allowed to return by plane, Ms Deen took the overland route once more.
At the family's £500,000 home in Brighton today, her mother said: “I am proud she has the courage of her convictions. I was happy to take the train with her to Morocco. She hasn't flown for at least three years.”
Ms Deen, who works four days a week for an anti-poverty charity, has spent all her adult life in a sub-culture of demos, campaigns and protests, many dreamed up at her rented flat in Hackney.
“I have a normal life as well,” she laughed. “I wouldn't expect a boyfriend to do what I do but I do find it difficult to go out with men who do not care about social justice.”
She got into activism at state school in Brighton, aged 17, organising protests against cuts in student grants. “My mother brought me up to speak my mind,” she said. At Leeds University where she studied international development, she campaigned against tuition fees and the Sun newspaper which she got banned for being biased against asylum seekers. She said as her father was from Egypt she found its views particularly hurtful. In fact her parents split up when she was young and she has not seen her father for many years.
After Leeds, she flirted with film-making “but film people were idiots” and journalism before turning to charity work and protest. “It is fun,” she said. “People in this community are passionate about making a change.”
Ms Deen and fellow activists will next be seen en masse in the City on 1 April in a Climate Camp to coincide with the G20 gathering of world leaders. A variety of stunts can be expected. At least politicians know where she will be that day. It's the rest of the time that must worry them.
Reader views (29)
I thought the funniest thing about her slime protest was the fact that she never thought to move her handbag to the other arm so she could actually get some force behind it, instead she only just hit the target and nearly covered herself instead.
University educated and still stupid.
- Gordon, Slough, 31/03/2009 12:48
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I am amused that Ms Deen's photo and profile is posted next to an advert for an enormous 4x4.
- Gregory Platten, United Kingdom, 08/03/2009 17:21
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I'm 100% behind your comments - Dave, London, UK.
- Olycom, Hexham UK, 06/03/2009 17:57
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Gosh how grown up and right on.
- Kerry Trubee, purley, 06/03/2009 17:49
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I'm 100% behind your comments - Dave, London, UK.
- Olycom, Hexham UK, 06/03/2009 16:27
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The arrogant, personal, and disnmissive comments on here say more about the authors than about the subject.
No doubt the authors would have made similar derisory comments about the direct actions taken to secure for women the right to vote. ... unless of course are they hypocrites who believe that direction is OK only if they agree with the cause.
.... And the comment about "slime in his veins" must go down as a classic.
- Dave, Dorset, 06/03/2009 16:27
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About thirty years in Australia we deomonstrated against the mining of Yellowcake (Uranium) At the event I placed a Custard covered Yellow Sponge Cake in a pro Yellowcake politicians face. It didn't hurt anyone and it drew attention to the lies being told.
The one thing the present crisis tells us that the old ways of doing things only work for a select few. Those who can lie, cheat and keep a straight face while hiding behind a veneer of "respectability"
I used to despair that young people had not picked up the baton and only wanted to be one of the select few. This action gives me optimism and hope.
karajaal
- Karajaal, London UK, 06/03/2009 16:15
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Would Mandy have got nicked if he chinned her,like Prescott?
- Ted, London, 06/03/2009 16:00
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Remember Peter Hain at the "Miner Strikes" in the 80's? Wasn't he subversive and on the Security Register?
- Matt J, London UK, 06/03/2009 16:00
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No boyfriend - not surprised - she's cetainly not a looker.
- Dave Thompson, Leeds, 06/03/2009 15:53
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What a clown this woman is! How pathetic is the person who lives a nice comfortable, middle class, first world existence, but protests against the very industrialisation that gives it to her.
If Ms Deen really had the courage of her convictions, she would offload the half million pound family home, stop the Boxing day road trip holidays to North Africa and go live in a cave somewhere (or shack built from scavenged refuse).
- Dave, London, UK., 06/03/2009 15:46
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She is one of many hypocrits that are happy to drive cars, use electricity, water and other facilities that contribute to the carbon footprint and enjoy all the wonderful mod cons when it suits them. Perhaps if she really wants to make a difference she should go and live in a country, mountains or even a desert and she how many days she survives.
- John Grisham, North London UK, 06/03/2009 15:38
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Leila Deen is absolutely correct. There is no way that we need new runways. Travel by air is set to decline as investment in rail infrastructure (in Europe at least) produces gains in market share and a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. Who nowadays takes the plane from London to Paris or Brussels when there is a green and convenient alternative ?
The acquiescence of Labour to the aircraft lobby is just their way of attempting to get donations - and is immoral.
- Richard Mullens, London Europe, 06/03/2009 15:32
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Get a job you low life, these people should be thrown in the back of a police van AS SOON as they step foot on any runway
- Lee, MANCHESTER, 06/03/2009 15:31
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In the future, people will look back in horror at the greed and selfishness of this generation. All we think about is ME and NOW- like mindless animals at a kill.
Try thinking outside your own self-obsessed little worlds, and you'll see that Ms Deen is right. There need to be many more people like her. She's a brave lady.
- John Anderson, Leeds UK, 06/03/2009 15:30
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People like Leila Deen need to stop and consider that while their activism brings attention to important issues, it also makes a mockery of them, and turns people away from good causes. The only people who think green slime is funny are the immature ones who are never likely to have an impact on real decision making. She should focus her energy on gaining positive attention from the people who matter, rather than just getting her face in the paper and a pat on the back from her friends.
- Mark, London, 06/03/2009 15:22
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At least she is standing up to what she believes in, unlike most of us who just ignore whats happening.
- Thomas, Kent, UK, 06/03/2009 15:22
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We must not let violence get the better of democracy, it is okay to let people have their say but it is not okay to disrupt democracy by 'making yourself heard' through undemocratic means. If she really believed in democracy then she would go door to door campaigning like every other politician and organise demonstrations. If you do not like the government do not vote for them, the majority did or else these people wouldn't be MPs.
If she wants to be undemocratic she can go to an undemocratic country. For instance try throwing some green custard over Ahmadinejad and see what happens.
- John, Hull, 06/03/2009 15:12
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Hasn't been on a plane for 3 years, I'm guessing she must have got bored on what she was protesting about before. These people need to get into the real world, and get a life!
- Anthony, Beds, 06/03/2009 15:11
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Grade "A" Nutter!
- Olycom, Hexham UK, 06/03/2009 15:10
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It's ok to tell someone to do something else with their time but people like this will be the ones who save your sorry backsides! Most people do nothing at all and the Gov't love it...you may not have much time left on this planet but for those who do why can't they spend it fighting for the right to breath fairly fresh free air or would you see the Gov't charge for that as well???
- Paul, poole, 06/03/2009 15:09
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I WAS GOINT TO TAKE THE MICKY OUT OF HER BUT NATURES ALL READY DID IT.THATS GOT TO BE ONE YEAR MIN +2/3K DAMAGES
- Tom, LONDON, 06/03/2009 15:06
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It s shows what a police state we are in when a young lady gets called the disgraceful name 'juvenile' for just doing her daily activicty of causing criminal damage by destroying someones jacket, what happened to the freedom where you could go around ruining someones proprerty without labours police state insulting you calling you an offensive name like juvenile
- John P Reid, hornchurch essex, 06/03/2009 14:58
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So Ms Deen hates planes, I'm sorry these morons are given any publicity. Aviation is a vital industry that has brought joy to millions. Heathrow needs a third runway, and Gatwick needs a second.
Next time there is a major crisis in the third world send the food supplies etc by mule train, no carbon footprint there, unless the mules f**t of course.
- David, Exeter UK, 06/03/2009 14:30
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She needs to find more things to fill her day.... and get a life, basically!
- Noel Lee, Newcastle, UK, 06/03/2009 13:26
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Her and her ilk are a blight on society. I hope Ryanair sue them for every last penny over the fiasco at Stansted.
- Tom B, London, 06/03/2009 13:18
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Unfortunately, stunts like this seem to be the only way of getting this government's attention - seeing as they ignore climate reports, local councils, expert opinion and voters to push their plans for a 3rd runway through. Perhaps if people felt they were being listened to appropriately, they wouldn't resort to stunts...
- Vesna, London, UK, 06/03/2009 13:15
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This kind of nonsense is great fun when you're a lay-about with nothing better to do...I will toast this woman during my next long-haul flight to somewhere hot.
- Hugh, London, 06/03/2009 11:57
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We need more like her: people prepared to stand up to the mendacious poltroons who pretend to run the country. More power to Ms Deen's elbow.
- Neil M., london uk,, 06/03/2009 10:41
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