Leeds Bradford Airport among sites to have injunctions barring climate protests continued

Several injunctions preventing potential environmental protesters from trespassing on the sites of multiple airports across England have been continued, a judicial spokesperson has said.

Last year, airports including Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester sought court protection from climate protests by groups including Just Stop Oil and were granted injunctions, which were to be reviewed after 12 months.

A hearing was listed to take place on Tuesday at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, related to the injunctions for London City, Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool John Lennon, Leeds Bradford, London Luton, Newcastle, Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports.

Following the hearing, before Mr Justice Bourne, a judicial spokesperson confirmed that the injunctions had been continued and would be reviewed again after a further 12 months.

The High Court dealt with several requests for injunctions from airports last summer.

At the hearing related to the injunctions for Leeds Bradford, London Luton and Newcastle airports last July, barrister Timothy Morshead KC said that “one cancelled plane can produce a cascade effect”, noting that if a flight is late, it impacts the staff who can operate it.

Mr Morshead said “that is why chaos erupts” and that it makes airports “more vulnerable” to the impact of protests, because of the added security measures around their operations.

At the hearing related to Birmingham, Bristol and Liverpool John Lennon airports last August, the same barrister said injunctions “are doing what the general law cannot” by preventing protests at the sites.

A hearing is expected to be held in late July to review the injunction for Heathrow, which was also issued last year.