Charges follow Stansted climate protest
Tuesday, 9 December 2008 12:00 AM
Police have charged nearly 50 people after yesterday's climate change protest at Stansted airport.
Essex police said in a brief statement that 49 people had been charged with aggravated trespass.
They, along with several others, have been bailed. It follows the arrest of 56 people after yesterday's protest in which demonstrators from activist group Plane Stupid breached Stansted airport's security.
The protest resulted in the cancellation of several flights yesterday. Plane Stupid said its "blockade" was intended to prevent "the release of thousands of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere" through the grounding of flights.
Details of court appearances are yet to be released but the 49 are expected to appear before Harlow magistrates court at various dates in December and the new year, an Essex police spokesperson said.
Budget airline Ryanair suffered numerous flight cancellations and reiterated its call for airports operator BAA to have its hold over Britain's airports broken up.
"The security at BAA Stansted airport has once again failed. We need to know what measures the BAA is putting in place to prevent these repeated security failures," spokesperson Stephen McNamara said.
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