Around ten activists from the group “Doe Deurne Dicht” blocked the private jet terminal at Antwerp airport on Saturday to protest its climate impact.
The blockade is part of a week of actions against aviation, similar protests are also ongoing in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, Norway, Spain and Switzerland. The organizers aim to highlight the “excessive use of fossil fuels by the aviation industry” and demand a phased halt to their extraction by 2030.
“Private jets are the most polluting means of transport,” stressed Ruth-Marie Henckes, spokesperson for Doe Deurne Dicht. “In Antwerp, we all pay the price with millions of taxpayer’s euros, public space and our health. This is also at the expense of people worldwide who increasingly face floods, extreme heat and food shortages. This has to stop, which is why we are blocking the private jet terminal today.”
The group has long campaigned against Antwerp Airport, advocating for its closure.
The Deurne regional airport recently received a new environmental permit with stringent conditions, announced Tuesday by Flemish Minister for Environment, Zuhal Demir (N-VA). These conditions include a ban on night flights from 23:00 to 07:00, with few exceptions.
Action groups Vliegerplein and Velenging Nooit have said they will begin proceedings before the Flemish Council for Permit Disputes.
Action by "Doe Deurne Dicht", against #Antwerpen airport, which ► is in an urban area ► mainly does private flights for the ultra-rich ► receives €3 of gov't aid for every €1 of turnover. ► occupies 190 hectares of Antwerp's territory#ActNow #ClimateCrisis #BanPrivateJets pic.twitter.com/20iNG14bQ9
— Extinction Rebellion Belgium (@XR_Belgium) April 1, 2023
