Eco-activists set to cause mischief at Gatwick Airport tomorrow

Extinction Rebellion activists have set Gatwick Airport in their sights with planned ‘mischief’ due to take place tomorrow.

Activists will be arriving at the South Terminal at around 11am for a ‘light-hearted and informative’ demonstration.

Posting on the group’s Telegram channel, members were urged to ‘come incognito’, while ‘musicians, clowns and singers’ were welcomed to take part.

The action is not expected to disrupt flights leaving and arriving from the airport.

The Telegram post reads: ‘We call on passengers and friends to join us in tackling the Climate and Ecological Emergency.

‘They have the opportunity to contribute to safeguarding our future by limiting air travel to just essential journeys. Let’s make them welcome.

‘Come incognito and await the signal at 11am to reveal yourself!

‘Performers, musicians, clowns, singers, party hats welcome. We will be handing out leaflets encouraging people to play their part in what lies ahead.

‘If inclined, some people may like to indulge in a bit of mischief but the intention is not to cause people to miss flights. Fun and imagination welcome.’

A spokesperson for XR told Metro.co.uk: ‘It’s purpose is to be fun and cheeky, not to cause travel chaos.’

Today lawyers representing XR filed an urgent application for a judicial review hearing at the High Court in London.

It was accepted, and a directions hearing will take place tomorrow from 2pm.

It comes days after the Met Police imposed a section 14 order, effectively banning activists from protesting in the capital.

Human rights lawyer Tobias Garnett, working for Extinction Rebellion, said the group are challenging the ban on the grounds it is ‘disproportionate and unlawful’.

He added that the order ‘risks criminalising anyone who wants to protest in any way about the climate and ecological emergency that we face’.

However, Met Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said the order does not ‘in any way’ ban the protests from London.

He continued: ‘These conditions specifically state that any assembly linked to Extinction Rebellion’s “Autumn Uprising” must now cease.

‘The decision to impose further conditions was made in order to help us get London moving again.

‘It is a lawful decision which we felt is entirely proportionate and reasonable to impose after nine days of sustained, unlawful assembly and protest by Extinction Rebellion.’

The Met said using Section 14 to limit the location and duration of protest action was ‘not unusual’.

XR protests over the last week and a half have seen more than 1,600 protesters in the capital.

Of them, 92 people have been charged for offences including failing to comply with a condition imposed under Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, criminal damage, and obstruction of a highway.

Today, Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley joined the fray and was photographed being arrested alongside the Mayor of Woolbridge and writer George Monbiot.