Black Lives Matter Close Down UK Airport

All flights at London City Airport were disrupted after protesters gained access to the runway.

The Met Police said it was called to the site at about 05:40 BST after nine protesters erected a tripod and "locked themselves together" on the runway.

The Black Lives Matter UK movement confirmed it was responsible for the protest.

All nine were removed and arrested from 09:30. The airport said inbound flights were diverted.

Black Lives Matter UK said the action was taken in order to "highlight the UK's environmental impact on the lives of black people locally and globally".

A statement said: "Whilst at London City Airport a small elite is able to fly, in 2016 alone 3,176 migrants are known to have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean.

"Black people are the first to die, not the first to fly, in this racist climate crisis.

"We note, however, that the UK is willing to charter special flights to remove black people from the country based on their immigration status."



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