Eight Swedish airports targeted by climate activists – Several arrests

On Sunday, climate activists carried out actions at eight airports around Sweden. At least 15 people have been arrested and an activist network has taken on the actions, where they tried to stop planes, among other things by glueing themselves to runways. The Swedish Civil Aviation Administration has increased security due to the events.

Just before lunch, the police were alerted to Malmö Airport. At about the same time, the Stockholm police were also alerted to Bromma Airport, about unauthorised persons in the airport area.

“Once there, we met two people airside. They have been arrested and are suspected of airport sabotage. When we searched the area, we arrested two more people“, says Per Fahlström at the Stockholm Police.

In Malmö, a woman was arrested while she entered the runway. Shortly afterwards, information came that people had also entered Arlanda and Landvetter, as well as the airports in Halmstad and Växjö.

At Arlanda, two women were arrested on board a plane.

At Växjö airport, a man and a woman were arrested after they glued their hands to the runway, the police state. The airport was temporarily closed to traffic.

At Landvetter Airport and at Halmstad City Airport, a total of four people were arrested on board two planes after they prevented the plane from taking off. In Kalmar, a man was arrested who entered the runway.

At around 19:00, another person was arrested, this time on the runway at Ängelholm Airport when he was in the process of glueing his hands.

Following the airport operations, the police have initiated a series of preliminary investigations into airport sabotage or aviation sabotage.

The Swedish Civil Aviation Administration made the formal decision to close Bromma Airport outside Stockholm.

Airports closed

Both the airport in Växjö and in Bromma were closed to air traffic after the events. Plan to Bromma was redirected to Arlanda. Both airports are now open and air traffic will function as usual.

Climate activists in the Extinction Rebellion Sweden network claim that it is their activists who are behind the actions. At least 14 people have been arrested in connection with the events.

The actions take place on the same day as the UN’s major climate meeting COP26 begins in Glasgow.

Source: svt.se