Plane Stupid Scotland: four arrested over peaceful banner drop

Four activists from Plane Stupid Scotland were arrested after a peaceful banner drop near Edinburgh airport. After dropping a banner reading 'Airport expansion is stupid' from the fourth story of a car park opposite the terminal building they were taken to St Leonard’s police station and charged with Breach of the Peace. The four were to appear in court on Friday, but the case was thrown out moments before the court opened.

The action was highlighting the double standards of the Scottish government committing to an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emission by 2050 whole planning to expand all of Scotland’s airports. The group also questioned the logic of 60% of flights from Edinburgh airport being to UK destination.

One of the protestors, Natalie, said "Ordinary people like us must realise that if we don't take action to save ourselves then no one else will. Overwhelming Scientific evidence points to the fact that we have very little time left before our emissions take us to the point of no return and aviation is the fastest growing cause of carbon emissions in the UK. Yes, Climate science is complex but some things seem very clear cut; expanding airports at a time when we need to be dramatically curbing our emissions is stupid."

After causing no alarm and agreeing to peacefully take the banner down, the protesters were unexpectedly taken to St Leonard's police station in Edinburgh, along with a friend who was simply taking a photo of the stunt. It became apparent the real reason for their sudden arrest was for CID to aggressively interrogate the four, part of their on-going efforts to find informers from within the group. Laughably, the CID men compared the group's "leaders" to Hitler and warned the protesters that dogs could easily have been set on them!

This is yet another heavy handed arrest by police treating protestors in the UK on the same level as criminals and terrorists. After recent reports from last year’s Climate Camp showing police included confiscation of soap "because protesters might use it to make themselves slippery and evade the grip of police" more and more protestors are denied their freedom of expression and ending up in custody for speaking out against Government policy.

Johnny Agnew, a spokesman for Plane Stupid Scotland said “It feels as if this country is becoming a police state. The police are so nervous about public protest that they will arrest and charge us over anything possible. Every day we are confronted by endless advertising from powerful corporations and yet normal people cannot make their voices heard.”