Plane Stupid activists on trial over ‘disruptive’ Heathrow protests

Polemical: Man dressed as polar bear at Heathrow protest last July. Photograph: Plane Stupid

Two people from Hackney are among 13 accused of blocking a Heathrow Airport runway during a climate change protest last July.

Graham Thompson, 42, of Durlston Road, Stoke Newington, and Sheila Menon, 43, of Pellerin Road, Dalston, appeared at Willesden Green Magistrates’ Court on Monday over allegedly trespassing on the northern runway intending to cause disruption.

The protest organised by the Plane Stupid campaign against a third Heathrow Runway was attended by Green party leader Natalie Bennett.

The 13 defendants allegedly cut a hole in a fence and erecting a structure made of poles, fencing and a large tripod, before locking themselves inside.

One defendant is believed to have climbed to the top of the tripod’s scaffolding dressed as a polar bear.

Prosecutor Philip McGhee said: “It was in the early hours of 13 July last year that, apparently in protest at the prospect of a third runway being built at Heathrow Airport, these 13 defendants passed through part of a perimeter fence that had been cut near to the east end of the northern runway in the airport, breaching airport security.

“They got on to the northern runway and began demonstration by way of erection of a large tripod, poles and fencing.

“They were either inside the fencing, locked to the outside of the fencing, in one case on top of the scaffolding tripod or in other cases were secured to each other.”

The trial is expected to last two weeks.