Stalked by the MET after flash mob - a residents tale

So much for 'community policing' it seems that now the police are happy to stalk residents, but not actually speak to, or stop or search them.

The flash mob held at London City Airport today was a peaceful and successful event. An airport official was approached by a campaigner and it was explained the flash mob would be there for around an hour, peacefully, and that they hoped that this was ok. This was accepted, and despite a large police presence, the police did not interfere with this peaceful chance to express concerns about the expansion of flights, and the effect on the local environment and climate change as well as locals health and well being.

At the end of the Flash Mob rally, FTF thanked the campaigners for their support and the police for their patience.

However it seemed that the Police had rather more interest in some residents than others, and decided they would stalk them, to Drew Road Primary School, to London City Airport DLR, on the DLR to Woolwich Arsenal, and then out of the DLR to Woolwich Arsenal mainline rail station.

When asked why they were following, they claimed their vehicle had been taken. Strange that.

As law abiding citizens we found their stalking tactics pretty disgusting. It perhaps would have been preferable to have been stopped and searched. But they clearly didn't need to stop and search, as there was no reason to. But there was no reason to stalk residents either. So now we know what some of the £15,000 daily police security costs that the London taxpayer pays for London City Airport goes towards: stalking women residents.

Policemen stalking women for no reason is not acceptable, it is intimidating and a form of harassment. FTF will be asking the MET for comment on this issue, and raising this with their respective MPs.

The MET missed a trick though: in our opinion the criminals are in the offices inside the airport, busy trying to hide 8 years of planning law breaches. Any chance of the MET applying the law to them?

FLASH MOB BORIS - Wake Up Boris!

Boris Johnson - the un-green mayor with double environmental standards!

COME AND FLASH BORIS

NEXT Thursday 5 March 2009

Time: 5.45pm prompt for 6.pm flash.
Outside York Hall

5-15 Old Ford Road

Bethnal Green

E2 9PJ

Wear your 'no to expansion t shirts, or any red top and bring your banners.

A united campaign, and a united event of all anti expansion/environmental campaigns

Swiss Air pilots from London City Airport - Welcome

London City Airport Expansion Objectors Protest

See the Protest held and LB Newham Town Hall in October.
CLICK HERE and play Video Article on LCA Expansion.

Lies, Lies and More Lies

Fight the Flights is outraged that Newham Council has seen fit to approve a 50% increase in flights to a total of 120,000, in the face of a flawed application based on flawed data. The application was put together on 'estimated information' due to London City Airports' failure to adhere to the planning conditions set up 8 years ago. Residents shouted 'traitors' at the decision to approve as chaos broke out in the chambers. Some of those residents have been waiting over 6 years for noise insulation that the airport should have provided within 6 months.

The 5 to 1 vote in favour of expansion will see an increase in jets, including the bigger A318 operating at intervals of every 90 seconds throughout the day. However LCA are willing to buy carbon credits from other parts of the UK, and probably other parts of the world, which will essentially enable them to dump tons of carbon dust over the residents of East and South East London and the wider environment. Newham, with the highest death rates in under 30s with asthma in the country, are clearly deciding the future of residents.

According to LCA and RPS, pollution is not their problem when the planes leave the runway - then it becomes the airlines. LCA has consistently shown that they have no respect for the community or the environment and have continued to present inaccurate and disingenuous statements and 'estimated evidence'. This while they fraglantly abused operating conditions. Objectors who spoke, including residents from across the boroughs, included the London Borough of Bexley, Tilfen Land, Friends of the Earth, Plane Stupid and HACAN.

The four councillors who voted in favour seemed uninterested in the effect of an additional 46,000 residents being affected by excessive noise and pollution. The questions that they asked were of an appalling quality and not what residents would expect from their representatives. In fact they appeared so keen to support the airport that one councillor in particular couldn't wait for the voting signal before placing his arm in the air in favour.

Fight the Flights (FTF)is talking to its legal team and liaising with others, with view to a judicial review if the application is not called in by the Secretary of State. It appears that a legal challenge is likely. The communities are not willing to accept this approval and will continue to fight.

FTF continues to challenge the lies and purposely misleading information that London City Airport, RPS, Bickerdike Allen Partners and LB Newham continue to produce to support and justify this flawed application.

They think it's all over, but they are very wrong.

See more about the day and the commitment of individuals who want to protect their communities:

Amelia's Magazine
Plane Stupid
Airport Watch