ECO-activists have targeted Glasgow Airport as part of UK-wide protests against aviation “greenwashing”.

Climate group ‘Stay Grounded’ held action across ten airports yesterday as they warned “no-one should be fooled by attempts to ‘greenwash’ aviation”.

The group called for an “effective reduction of air traffic” and coincided with the Global Day of Action for Climate Justice – which saw more than 100,000 estimated protesters march through the streets of Glasgow.

The impacted airports were Glasgow, London Gatwick, London City, London Luton, Liverpool, Manchester, Southampton, Bristol, Doncaster-Sheffield and Leeds-Bradford.

At Glasgow Airport, a small group of activists protested with banners against airport expansions and greenwashing of aviation.

 

There is no suggestion the group caused any disruption at the airport.

Activists Mira Kapfinger said: “In a climate emergency, the only thing we can do right now to cut emissions from flying is to reduce air traffic”.

He previously said: “Maybe, one day, we’ll be able to fly in large, long-haul, zero-emission aircraft but we know that’s not an option in the foreseeable future.

“In a climate emergency the only thing we can do right now to cut emissions from flying is to fly less”.

Glasgow Airport previously told The Herald they were aware of the planned action.

Elsewhere in the city, police arrested 21 people during the climate rally, with demonstrators kettled and protesters forcibly removed from a city centre bridge.

Tens of thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Glasgow to demand action to tackle the climate emergency as the city hosts the Cop26 summit.

Crowds walked from Kelvingrove Park to Glasgow Green, with organisers estimating that more than 100,000 people took park in the march.

Police officers removed activists from the Scientist Rebellion movement who had chained themselves to the King George V Bridge, and were seen to block in other protesters in a “kettle” in the city centre.

Assistant Chief Constable Gary Ritchie claimed that the day had “passed largely without incident”, although 21 people had been arrested.

Mr Ritchie said: “Glasgow has today hosted a public protest the size and scale of which was beyond anything many of us – both within and outwith policing – can ever remember.

“As one of the key events of Cop26, the Climate March this afternoon brought together thousands of people from across Scotland, the UK and the world.

“Months of planning has gone into the policing operation for the procession and through regular discussion with organisers and key campaign groups, we clearly set our expectations for the behaviour of participants.”