Flights Disrupted At London City Airport After Black Lives Matter Protesters Block Runway

Flights in and out of London City Airport have been disrupted after protesters from the group Black Lives Matter stormed the runway.

Early reports suggested that anti-airport expansion group Plane Stupid were behind the demonstration.

However, Black Lives Matter — the UK arm of a protest movement that began in the US — confirmed its involvement on social media.

In a statement it said the planned expansion of London City Airport “consigns the local community in Newham to further deterioration of their environment”.

“The average salary of a London City Airport user is €136,000 euros and 63 per cent of them work in business, finance or other business services,” it added.

"It is an airport designed for the wealthy. At the same time 40 per cent of Newham’s population struggle to survive on £20,000 or less.

"When black people in Britain are 28 per cent more likely to be exposed to air pollution than their white counterparts, we know that environmental inequality is a racist crisis.”

Flights to Zurich, Geneva, Guernsey and Zurich have been cancelled.

Police on the London City Airport runway (Black Lives Matter)

Flights due to arrive at the airport from Rotterdam, Luxembourg, New York and Frankfurt have been diverted.

London City Airport wrote that it was “experiencing disruption to all flights due to protestors at the airport. Police are currently on the scene” in a Twitter update at 6.55 this morning.

An hour later, it added: “Disruption continues due to protestors at London City Airport, police are on site. We apologise for inconvenience, check with airline for flight status.”

Nine protesters are currently locked together. The Met Police said that no arrests have been made.

Flights have been diverted (Black Lives Matter)

The group describes itself as a “coalition of activists from across the UK who believe deeply that Black Lives Matter.”

In August, protesters blocked a motorway route into Heathrow Airport as part of what it called a “nationwide shutdown”.