Activists carry out protest against private jets at Antwerp airport

About 10 activists from the ‘Doe Deurne Dicht’ collective blocked the entrance to the private jet terminal at Antwerp airport on Saturday to protest against the impact of private jets on the climate.

The blockade was part of a week of actions against private aviation, also taking place in the Netherlands, the UK, Germany, Finland, Norway, Spain and Switzerland.

“Private jets are the most polluting form of transport there is,” said the collective’s spokesperson Ruth-Marie Henckes.

“In Antwerp, we’re all paying the price with millions of euros of taxpayer money, public space and our health. This is also at the expense of people around the world who have to put up with more and more flooding, extreme heat and food shortages. This has to stop.”

Doe Deurne Dicht has long campaigned against Antwerp airport, which it wants to see closed.

Small airports such as Antwerp (Deurne) are facing stricter environmental rules under new permits. Restrictions include a ban on night flights from 23.00 to 7.00, with a few exceptions..

Photo: Ad Meskens/Wikimedia. Licensed under Creative Commons