The co-founder of Extinction Rebellion has been rearrested just hours after being released from custody, afterattempting to fly drones near Heathrow airport.
Roger Hallam, ringleader of the ‘Heathrow Pause’ movement, was the second person arrested today in connection with the disruption, bringing the total number of people taken into custody to 20 in three days.
Despite their attempts to have the airport shut down by flying drones within a three mile exclusion zone, Heathrow’s services remained unaffected.
‘Heathrow Pause’, a splinter group from Extinction Rebellion, claim that Mr Hallam’s bail conditions stipulated that he not to go within five miles of any airport and must not have any drone related equipment in his possession.
He was apprehended in Stanwell, just off the airport’s Southern perimeter road.
The group of environmental protesters has continued their attack on Heathrow for a second day with “multiple flights” within exclusion zone.
Activist Anthony Whitehouse posted footage this morning of a short drone flight and then handed himself in to officers at Terminal 4.
On Friday,a former Paralympic athlete who won a bronze medal at London 2012was also arrested.
James Brown, from Northern Ireland said that he feared going to prison but it is a price worth paying to raise awareness for the climate crisis.
Conscious of his poor sight, he told The Telegraph that he removed the batteries and his drone in the air. He then sat down in a Costa Coffee in Terminal 2, called the police on himself, and was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance. He was released on Saturday evening.
A Heathrow spokesperson said: “Flying a drone within 5km of Heathrow is illegal and any persons found doing so will be subject to the full force of the law.
“Alongside drone detection capabilities, we will mitigate the impact of this illegal action and operate in a way that is safe at all times .
“We agree with the need to act on climate change but driving change requires constructive engagement and action. Committing criminal offences and disrupting passenger journeys is counterproductive and irresponsible. ”
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