Just Stop Oil activists are plotting to cause summer misery for thousands of holidaymakers. The environmental group plans to wreak havoc at airports here and across Europe from mid-June.
Protesters will halt flights by storming terminal buildings, glueing themselves to runways and clambering onto jets in tourist hotspots like Spain, Greece and Turkey. It means travellers will likely face agonising delays here – while those lucky enough to take off could be forced to wait hours on the runway on the other side.
Last night, MPs and travel experts accused the group of "shooting itself in the foot" by causing misery and risking lives. The plot was learned at a meeting attended by some 50 hardcore activists. Just Stop Oil's so-called poster girl, Phoebe Plummer, was greeted by roars as she announced "disruption on a scale that has never been seen before".
She added: "The most exciting part of this plan is that [it's] going to be part of an international effort. Flights operate on such a tight schedule to control air traffic that with action being caused in cities all around the world we're talking about radical, unignorable disruption."
Privately educated Plummer, who grew up in London's posh Chelsea, has been arrested for a string of disturbances. The pink-haired 22-year-old spent time in prison last year.
Plummer's shouty speech continued: "It's time to wake up and get real – no summer holiday is more important than food security, housing and the lives of your loved ones. Flying is also a symbol of the gross wealth inequality that's plaguing our society and if we want to create change we need to adopt a more radical demand."
Gary Johnson, Tory MP for Dartford, branded the strategy "dangerous" and "selfish", adding: "The actions of Just Stop Oil are counterproductive and put people off their cause. Most people want to see the environment protected but militant, highly disruptive protests just anger those who are often just trying to enjoy a family holiday."
Just Stop Oil was founded in 2022 to try to halt all new oil, gas and coal licences in the UK.
