Man charged over Heathrow Drone protests

Met Police have charged Extinction Rebellion activists over the climate change Drone protests at Heathrow Airport.

Julian Roger Hallam, 53 of Carmarthen SA32, was charged on Sunday, 15 September with attempting to cause a public nuisance.

Roger Hallam, 53, who declared Heathrow expansion “a crime against humanity”, was arrested on Saturday.

He appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates’ court on Monday, 16 September and was remanded in custody to appear at Isleworth Crown Court on Monday, 14 October on a charge of conspiring to cause a public nuisance between 1 August and 14 September.

He was arrested on Thursday, 12 September and Saturday, 14 September in connection with protest activity in the vicinity of Heathrow Airport.

A total of 19 other people were arrested as part of this operation; all have been bailed or released under investigation pending further enquiries.

Heathrow Pause said it intended to fly drones in the 5km exclusion zone around the airport in the morning of Friday 13th .

Expansion ‘illogical’

One protester at the airport, James Brown, travelled from Exeter to get involved in the action.

Mr Brown, a 54-year-old former GB and Ireland paralympian, said: “It’s largely a protest against the fact our government declared a climate emergency in April and straight after approved a third runway for Heathrow. There’s no logic to that.

“Any disruption that might be caused to travellers is nothing compared to the imminent climate breakdown we are facing.

“We are running out of time to sort this out.”

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said: “We are really clear that [flying drones] is unlawful, it is a criminal offence, and anybody who turns up expecting to fly drones in that exclusion zone will be arrested.”