In March last year, you may remember, Plane Stupid activists occupied the runway at Aberdeen airport. They took direct action (including erecting a makeshift golf course) to protest about expansion plans for the airport, which are being pushed through to serve an enormous golf course and hotel complex planned by US entrepreneur and The Apprentice star Donald Trump.
Now nine of them (including a call centre manager, a chef, a father, an artist and a university lecturer) find themselves on trial. But the Climate 9, as they've become known, plan to use the case to challenge Scottish climate policy. Currently all 17 Scottish airports are aiming to expand; if this happened it would triple the nation's aviation emissions, which already make up 11% of the UK total.
To publicise their case they're holding an event in London next week on June 3rd. The evening will feature top civil rights and climate justice advocates and lawyers and speakers from the Climate 9 Defence Committee. There'll also be discussion on direct action, using the courts to call for real justice, and a chance to meet the activists.
If you fancy going along to support them, you can find out more on their Facebook page. It's liable to get pretty busy, but you can book early at info@climate9.com to avoid disappointment. And you can follow developments in the case on the Climate 9 website.
Finally, in a nod to our own successful Airplot land-buying scheme at Heathrow, opponents of Donald Trump's horrendous golf complex outside Aberdeen have bought their own plot of land in the middle of the proposed development, complete with multiple owners to delay proceedings and, as they put it, 'trip up Trump'. Good plan, even if it does sound a little familiar...
