Extinction Rebellion stage protest at Luton Airport - demanding end to expansion plans

On Saturday, the environmental protest movement unveiled banners within the terminal, and then occupied a roundabout on the entrance road to the airport.

The protest included activists from Luton, alongside other members of XR from across the region.

Although recently revised with a focus on "sustainability", London Luton Airport Limited’s (LLAL) current proposal call for a doubling in passenger numbers, from 16 to 32 million passengers a year.

While plans have been postponed because of Covid-19 and its effect on the aviation industry, XR insist that they should be scrapped altogether. Flying is recognised as a large contributor to climate change.

“Floods in India, fires in California, Louisiana counting the cost of storm Laura - and Luton Airport is expanding” says activist Jeremy Williams.

“Expanding the airport is utterly irresponsible at a time of climate emergency.

“We understand that the airport supports council spending, and how important that has been during a decade of Tory austerity.

“But we cannot continue to grow and depend on that income at the expense of future generations, of the world’s most vulnerable people, and of those who suffer today from the noise and pollution from the airport.”

Protests were held at other airports across the country on Saturday, including Gatwick, Stansted and Bristol. XR will turn their attention to London and Parliament from Tuesday, September 1.