Blind man climbs on top of BA plane in Extinction Rebellion airport takeover

An environment activist climbed on top of a British Airways plane at London City Airport as part of Extinction Rebellion’s climate protest today.

James Brown was taken on to the plane as a passenger and was the first person to board as he is partially sighted.

He managed to clamber on to the top of the plane’s body before lying down on top of it.

A video of his protest was streamed on the group’s Facebook page and ended after firefighters arrived to bring him down.

James had booked onto a flight headed for Amsterdam.

James also streamed himself while sat on top of the plane where he said he was ‘s****** myself’.

He told viewers: ‘Here I am on top of a f****** aeroplane at City Airport. I hate heights, I’m s******* myself, I managed to get on the roof. I am so shaky.

‘This is all about the climate and ecological crisis, we’re protesting against government inaction on climate and ecological breakdown. They declare a climate emergency and then do nothing about it.

‘In fact they go the opposite direction, they sanction the expansion of airports, Heathrow, Bristol and others. We can’t let this go on, we cant have our cake and eat it.’

He later noticed security were approaching and said: ‘Oh good security are coming. I hope they don’t take too long cos This is f****** scary.

‘I cant believe I managed to get on the roof. And its windy.’

He added: ‘This is for my kids. It’s for everybody’s kids.

‘It is for all young people who face a future of climate breakdown.’

The campaigner is a Paralympic cyclist who took bronze at the London 2012 Paralympic Games for Ireland in the cycling time trial.

In 2016 he was banned from the sport for two and a half years for a doping violation.

As he was the first person to be brought onto the plane, no other passengers were on board, Extinction Rebellion said.

The other flyers were being held in the terminal until James could be brought down.

In an interview before his protest, he said he was taking part in protests for his children.

An Extinction Rebellion campaigner who streamed his action said: ‘We have to shout out loudly this cannot continue.’

Earlier today, another climate activist was arrested after a plane was grounded on the runway when he began giving a speech on board a flight to Dublin, moments before take off.

He ignored cabin crew asking him to sit down and was filmed walking up and down the aisle, spreading his message about the climate crisis.

Protesters have vowed to create a day of chaos today at the airport in east London to demonstrate against the climate impact of flying and the Government’s ongoing support of airport expansion.

Two men scaled the roof of the airport this morning while others have glued themselves to the roads outside.