Climate activists blocked the runway of Cologne/Bonn Airport, one of the largest in Germany, in the early morning hours. As a result, all flights were temporarily suspended. The airport authorities said that disruptions were to be expected until the end of the day.
One of the largest airports in GermanyCologne/Bonn Airport, temporarily suspended all flights on Wednesday due to a protest by climate activists, the BBC reported. A group of people from the organization Last Generation before dawn blocked the airport runway, sticking themselves to the surface in several places.
The Last Generation at Cologne/Bonn Airport
The airport authorities reported on the X service at around 7 a.m. that “unauthorized persons” had crossed the airport's security zone in the morning. They added that police operations were underway at the scene and that all flights had been suspended for this reason. “There are serious disruptions, such as flight delays and cancellations,” they said.
The BBC reports that at least four flights were diverted to nearby airports in Düsseldorf and Hannover.
At 9:15 a.m., the airport added that the police operation had ended and flights would resume. Passengers should still check the status of their flights with their carriers, as it said further delays and cancellations were expected throughout the day due to the protest.
Airport protests in Europe
Activists from the Last Generation group said on social media that a total of five people participated in the protest. They said their goal is to push the German government to push for a global agreement to phase out fossil fuels by 2030. They said similar airport protests are planned for Wednesday in other European countries and North America. They also posted photos of activists glued to the airport tarmac.
X also posted photos showing activists blocking gates at Helsinki Airport. At Oslo Airport, three activists damaged the fence at Oslo-Gardermoen Airport, but were quickly removed by police, the BBC reports.
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