After a protest by climate activists at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, the Dutch police arrested more than 100 people. According to the police, activists from the Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion groups blocked private jets at the airport on Saturday, the ANP news agency reported. Some also chained themselves to planes. The scheduled flights to and from Schiphol were not affected by the protest.
Police also arrested protesters who were riding bicycles around the airport. Some had to be dragged away by special forces, and according to the activists, one demonstrator was injured.
Around 500 activists managed to break through a fence at a car park and gain access to the airport premises, while others demonstrated inside the airport building for fewer flights from Schiphol and in particular against private jets. Residents of the airport, who are fighting against aircraft noise, also joined the protest at the airport.
As announced by Greenpeace, the demonstrators prevented private jets from taking off from Schiphol. With a sit-in under a plane, around two dozen activists blocked a jet that was parked. “We are demanding fewer flights, more trains and a ban on unnecessary short-haul flights and private jets,” said Dewi Zloch of Greenpeace in the Netherlands.
Adhesive action in the Prado in Madrid
There was another protest in an art museum in the Spanish capital Madrid on Saturday. Two climate activists glued themselves to the frames of two famous paintings by Spanish master Francisco de Goya in the Prado. On the wall between the paintings “The Naked Maja” and “The Clothed Maja” they wrote “1.5 C”, as could be seen on video images. The Paris climate agreement of 2015 stipulates the goal of stopping global warming at 1.5 degrees if possible and thus preventing the worst consequences of climate change. However, it is now considered likely that the climate will warm up much faster.
The two young people wore shirts with “Futuro Vegetal” (Plant Future) printed on them. According to their own statements, this group is fighting the climate crisis by advocating agriculture with only plant products.
