Environmental activists have taken it upon themselves to set base in villages around Heathrow and to contend in a long campaign of national noncompliance in protest of a third runway being built.
The activists joined the local campaigners from the afflicted villages of Sipson, Harlington and Harmondsworth to fight against the expansion of Heathrow Airport, which is due to be approved by the Cabinet in the coming days.
David Cameron is expected to set tough conditions for the expansion, which includes a ban on flights between 11:30pm and 6am, as well as a requirement to meet EU legal limits on air pollution. However, these conditions are unlikely to conciliate the activists and campaigners. There are also threats of rebellion with the Tory Party, led by the London Mayoral Candidate, Zac Goldsmith, and the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.
A 26-year-old activist, Eddie Charles, who has been living in Sipson for over 2 years said, “What we’ve seen this year are the opening shots — the blocking of the road tunnel, the incursion on to the north runway. The democratic process is clearly not working. If election pledges are broken so easily what can you expect? There will be lots of civil disobedience, this will be a continuous battle for years ahead.”
A builder from Harmondsworth, Neil Keveren had blocked the Heathrow road tunnel this year with his van in a solo protest. He said, “I was fined £600 with £290 costs but more than half of that had been paid by donations before I left the courtroom. This is my home. I was born a mile down the road, my relatives are buried in the churchyard, I am part of the fabric and I will do everything I can to motivate those with a will for direct action.”
Georgia Woods (22), from Sipson said, ““The community here has been massively politicised by Heathrow and direct action is now embedded in the Heathrow villages. They’re not going to go down without a fight.”
