British supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement stormed the runway of London City Airport Tuesday, forcing a halt to flights in one of the boldest acts of protest by the group as it spreads beyond US borders.
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Emergency services surround protesters from the movement Black Lives Matter after they locked themselves to a tripod on the runway at London City Airport in London on September 6, 2016. “We are awaiting the arrival of specialist resources that are able to “unlock” the protestors”, London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
“Prominent black rights activists accused the Black Lives Matter movement in the United Kingdom of “cultural appropriation” as it emerged all nine protesters on the runway were white”, added The Guardian, “but it garnered support from environmental groups” including the London-based Friends of the Earth (FoE). “Police are now on the scene”.
An airport spokesman said: “We are preparing the airfield to resume operations as soon as possible”.
It is believed that activists reached the runway after crossing the Royal Docks in a rubber dinghy.
The protest began before 6 am local time at the airport, a few miles east of the Canary Wharf financial district.
The group of less than 10 demonstrators was trying to raise awareness of what it says is the disproportionate impact man-made climate change has on minorities, in the name of the Black Lives Matter protest group of Britain.
The group Black Lives Matter claimed responsibility for the protest on social media.
Black Lives Matter UK said the centrally located airport was planning to expand its capacity, which would negatively affect the surrounding community in one of London’s most deprived areas. It is an airport designed for the wealthy.
Two people remain locked together on the runway. “If you asked a hundred black British people what their top 10 issues are in terms of racism and discrimination in Britain, environment and climate change will come very low on the list – if at all”, he says.
‘At the same time 40 per cent of Newham’s population struggle to survive on £20k or less’.
“It started to get a little bit out of control in terms of staff letting people know”.
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“We apologize for inconvenience caused this morning”, the airport posted on Twitter.
