A Paralympic medallist climbed on top of a British Airways plane at London City Airport on Thursday as part of ongoing protests by Extinction Rebellion. James Brown, who is visually impaired, filmed himself clinging to the fuselage and streaming a live message online, sparking a hijacking scare.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick described the action as "reckless, stupid and dangerous." About 50 arrests were made at the airport. Another man refused to sit in his seat, delaying a flight by nearly two hours. Both men had bought flight tickets and passed through airport security.
On the fourth day of climate change protests, disruption centred on London City Airport. Police arrested people blocking the airport entrance as others glued themselves to the floor. Airport chief executive Robert Sinclair said flights ran largely on time or with slight delays, although two flights were cancelled.
Earlier in Westminster, tents and protesters were cleared from the roads leading to Parliament Square. Police said they were working to clear a camp in St James' Park, with Trafalgar Square the only other site still occupied in central London.
Police said more than 1,000 people have been arrested since Monday, including about 50 at the airport on Thursday. Twenty-nine people have been charged with various offences.
