Heathrow Airport climate change protest delays flights

What effect will this have on public perceptions? Might help to consign climate change to the fringes of acceptability as an issue with any luck. The BBC reports:

Protesters disrupted flights at Heathrow Airport by cutting through a fence and chaining themselves together on a runway.

Direct action group Plane Stupid said 13 demonstrators opposed to the airport’s expansion plans got on to the northern runway at 03:30 BST.

The runway was closed for nearly three hours and 13 flights were cancelled.

The ability of protesters to get through a fence and on to the runway has raised security concerns.
The airport apologised for the disruption caused and advised passengers to check with their airlines before they travel.

Nine protesters were arrested on suspicion of Aviation Act offences, police said.
All the protesters were removed from the runway by 10:00 BST.

Emergency service workers were seen talking to an activist dressed as a polar bear.
The airport’s southern runway remained open throughout the protest.

“This morning a group of people staged a protest on the northern runway. These individuals have since been removed by police.

“Both runways were operational throughout, although there have been some delays and a few cancellations – we are sorry to those passengers who experienced disruption this morning,” said the airport in a statement.
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A video posted online appeared to show several activists chained together and being spoken to by police officers.
In the footage, an officer told them: “As a consequence of you being here, you are causing severe disruption and it will be in the millions of pounds because it will take us a while to remove you.
“The cost will be in the couple of millions. The airport will attempt to make a civil recovery.”

Full report: Heathrow Airport climate change protest delays flights – BBC News.

Civil recovery proceedings could be interesting.