Climate activists under the banner “Oil Kills” have disrupted flights across Europe by gluing themselves to tarmacs, aiming to hinder summer travel. Protests spanned from Oslo to Barcelona, demanding wealthy, polluting nations phase out fossil fuels by 2030. These actions, resulting in several arrests, followed the recording of the world’s hottest day.
Activists stated, “Ordinary people are taking matters into their own hands today to do what our criminal governments have failed to do. We are putting our bodies on the wheels of the machine of the global fossil economy and saying ‘oil kills.'”
In Germany, Letzte Generation (Last Generation) protesters briefly halted flights at Cologne-Bonn airport, causing the cancellation of 31 flights and the diversion of six others. In Austria, activists delayed a flight by refusing to sit before takeoff and spilled orange paint in Vienna airport’s terminal. In Switzerland, they blocked roads to Zürich and Geneva airports.
Further protests occurred in Norway, Finland, Spain, and the UK, where 10 Just Stop Oil activists were arrested for planning disruption at Heathrow airport. All remain in custody.
Rita Straub, a 74-year-old retired software analyst from Switzerland, expressed her motivation for civil disobedience: “I am ashamed of the state of the world I am leaving to my great-nieces and nephews. I cannot stand by silently while fossil fuels continue to kill thousands and governments continue to expand their use.”
The activists emphasized that wealthy countries bear the most responsibility and capability to phase out fossil fuels. Lili Gomez of Letzte Generation stated, “At airports, it becomes clear: what used to be normal, we can no longer afford today.”
Authorities in countries like the UK and Germany have cracked down on airport protests, advocating for harsher penalties. Extinction Rebellion’s Dutch branch announced further actions planned for Saturday at airports in at least seven countries.
