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Extinction Rebellion are threatening to shut down Heathrow Airport with drones

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Extinction Rebellion are threatening to shut down Heathrow Airport with drones

Old 31st May 2019, 10:49
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Extinction Rebellion are threatening to shut down Heathrow Airport with drones

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-48470623
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Old 31st May 2019, 10:51
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Irresponsible and downright dangerous.
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Old 31st May 2019, 11:23
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Originally Posted by ZFT
Irresponsible and downright dangerous.
...activists, mostly teenagers...
As the "activists" say, "nuff said".
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Old 31st May 2019, 11:39
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well arrest them all and fine them £50k each, that'll stop them
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Old 31st May 2019, 11:58
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They can only shut down Heathrow if Heathrow can't deal with drones. If Heathrow can't deal with drones by now then I'd say there are more serious questions to be asked.
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Old 31st May 2019, 12:36
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Originally Posted by DB6
They can only shut down Heathrow if Heathrow can't deal with drones. If Heathrow can't deal with drones by now then I'd say there are more serious questions to be asked.
It's not that there has been no previous disruption at British airports with drone issues after the Gatwick episode last December.

I think the authorities are going to act robustly over this. If they don't and there's further chaos, heads should roll.
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Old 31st May 2019, 12:41
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And meanwhile you're all happy for everyone to keep driving the human race to extinction?

As quoted by PropPax "nuff said".
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Old 31st May 2019, 12:53
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A third runway at Heathrow will not end humanity
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Old 31st May 2019, 14:06
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Originally Posted by Thaihawk
It's not that there has been no previous disruption at British airports with drone issues after the Gatwick episode last December.

I think the authorities are going to act robustly over this. If they don't and there's further chaos, heads should roll.
And that's the problem with the British approach - heads should roll. And it leads to quick, "decisive" but utterly useless "action". When it happened at Gatwick, the government "decisively" responded with a larger exclusion zone, a decision much praised by the British pilots union leaders. But how exactly did it improve the situation or reduced the risks? The answer is - it didn't.

In sight of that "measure", I predict the likely course of action for Heathrow:

1. Criminalize the sales of drones.
2. "Combat the illegal practice of unlicensed drone sales".
3. "Allocate additional funds to combat the illegal practice of unlicensed drone sales".
4. Create the Illegal Drone Sales Monitoring Board which will have the authority to close the M4, except the bus lane.
5. Create the Parliamentary Committee on Illegal Drone Activity
6. Blame the Labour.
7. Nigel Farage And Boris Johnson will submit a motion to forbid immigration from the drone-producing countries.

The end result, however, will be "nought".
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Old 31st May 2019, 15:41
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Originally Posted by ZFT
Irresponsible and downright dangerous.
Yes, irresponsible and, if Heathrow continued operations regardless (highly unlikely), then potentially dangerous.

Having said that, Heathrow's protestations that it takes climate change seriously

"We agree with the need to act on climate change, but that requires us to work together constructively - not commit serious criminal offences just as hard-working people prepare to spend a well-earned holiday with their family and friends."
would carry rather more weight if the airport wasn't simultaneously fudging the statistics that it publishes on the environmental performance of airlines at LHR, such that they are regularly awarded impossibly high "Fly Quiet & Green" scores of around 40% more, on average, than their performance actually merits under Heathrow's own rules.
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Old 31st May 2019, 15:59
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I just hope somebody is tracking down Extinction Rebellion's bank accounts and the main leader's assets so that they can be frozen and hopefully seized in the event they go ahead with these criminal and reckless actions.
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Old 31st May 2019, 16:13
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Originally Posted by trident3A
A third runway at Heathrow will not end humanity
This is true, and neither, in itself, will, for example, Australia generating most of its electricty from very dirty coal. And at my (and I suspect your) age, being selfish, we really don't need to care. But for people who hope still to be alive in 60 or 70 years time these things are very important. I get that. And I hope more of our generation will soon.
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Old 31st May 2019, 16:55
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When do activists become terrorists ?
I’d view it exactly as if a foreign country tried to close down our infrastructure and take appropriate and decisive action .
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Old 31st May 2019, 17:10
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One has to be very careful of statistics, but, from what I read, the UK has reduced its carbon footprint by over 30% since 1990. These people would do better to praise the UK's record and direct their efforts towards China. But that would be futile, wouldn't it!
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Old 31st May 2019, 17:14
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Originally Posted by Paul852
This is true, and neither, in itself, will, for example, Australia generating most of its electricty from very dirty coal. And at my (and I suspect your) age, being selfish, we really don't need to care. But for people who hope still to be alive in 60 or 70 years time these things are very important. I get that. And I hope more of our generation will soon.
At your age you should probably remember the 70s hysteria about "global cooling". Remember all the fuss that our planet will succumb to the -273C that surrounds us in the outer space? The only difference now is that ideas get spread easier and farther on Internet.
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Old 31st May 2019, 17:17
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Originally Posted by Bergerie1
One has to be very careful of statistics, but, from what I read, the UK has reduced its carbon footprint by over 30% since 1990. These people would do better to praise the UK's record and direct their efforts towards China. But that would be futile, wouldn't it!
It takes infinitely less courage to attack Heathrow with drones than to stand in front of a tank in Beijing. My generation calls it "the path of least resistance".
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Old 31st May 2019, 17:19
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Hear hear

Originally Posted by Meester proach
When do activists become terrorists ?
I’d view it exactly as if a foreign country tried to close down our infrastructure and take appropriate and decisive action .
I couldn’t say it better myself. A protest is waving a Placard with your message. Impacting the lives of 100,000s just going about their daily lives is the use of force and should be treated as such.
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Old 31st May 2019, 17:25
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Originally Posted by Bergerie1
One has to be very careful of statistics, but, from what I read, the UK has reduced its carbon footprint by over 30% since 1990. These people would do better to praise the UK's record and direct their efforts towards China. But that would be futile, wouldn't it!
Why wouldn’t I be surprised to find that the whole rabble are funded by PRC and their fellow travellers. The Chinese have always thought long term and in many strands, why not try to undermine British industry or at least hamstring it, by tying our hands in environmental standards they have absolutely no intention whatsoever of implementing themselves.
Considered post not a rant!
Be lucky
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Old 31st May 2019, 17:31
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Originally Posted by ProPax
At your age you should probably remember the 70s hysteria about "global cooling". Remember all the fuss that our planet will succumb to the -273C that surrounds us in the outer space? The only difference now is that ideas get spread easier and farther on Internet.
Only vaguely. But no, the difference now is progress in scientific understanding.

I believe in science. Do you?

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Old 31st May 2019, 17:40
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Originally Posted by trident3A
A third runway at Heathrow will not end humanity
It's possible to love aviation and at the same time realise that we cannot continue expanding.

This is the problem:


(source: NASA)

Aviation is fun, challenging, mind broadening, brings cultures together, etc. But most of it is non-essential. What do we need a third runway for? To free up 27L and R so more people can go to Thailand for 2 weeks?

It's pretty clear that we're facing a serious climate problem. We've known about this since the 70s and b***er all's been done really. Yes we've done a few things on power generation. But transport? All we've seen is more cars, more planes. So although I don't think shutting down Heathrow with drones is a good idea, you can see where they're coming from, because no other form of protest seems to be working.

Last edited by PerPurumTonantes; 31st May 2019 at 19:06.
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