Undercover operation foils Just Stop Oil's plot to disrupt Manchester Airport
Undercover operation foils Just Stop Oil's plot to disrupt Manchester Airport
Four members of the Just Stop Oil (JSO) movement were stopped by police before they could carry out their plan to cause 'chaos' during the busy summer period
Indigo Rumbelow pictured on bodyworn footage when she was arrested
(Image: GMP )
On an early August morning, a group of four set off for Manchester Airport. This is a familiar scene for many families heading off on their holiday, hopping into a taxi before sunrise to maximise their day at the final destination.
But this group of four weren't looking forward to an afternoon by the pool or a dip in the sea. Their pre-dawn taxi ride was actually a covert operation by police officers who had been tipped off about the Just Stop Oil (JSO) scheme to target the airport and were swooping in just in time.
The airport now estimates that the environmental activism group's plan would have impacted 'tens of thousands' of passengers. Had they not been intercepted on a Gatley street before reaching Ringway, the four protestors intended to breach the perimeter fence and glue themselves to the taxiway, reports the Manchester Evening News . For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
A plot by Just Stop Oil activists to disrupt flights at Manchester Airport could have caused 'chaos,' a judge said, potentially leaving families stranded in departure lounges at the height of the summer holidays. But the group's intention, the court heard, was to create widespread disruption and draw media attention to their cause.
The attempt to target the airport marked a notable escalation in JSO's ongoing campaign of direct action, which the group recently announced would come to an end. Over the past three years, JSO protests have focused on demanding an end to new fossil fuel licensing, using civil resistance tactics that included blocking major roads, interrupting sporting events, and demonstrations at cultural landmarks.
Some of those convicted had taken part in earlier protests. Daniel Knorr was one of two activists who entered the pitch during the 2023 Ashes test at Lord's, and was later convicted of aggravated trespass. Margaret Reid attempted to disrupt the World Snooker Championship the same year and was convicted of attempting to cause criminal damage.
In the summer of 2023, airports across the UK were placed on high alert amid concerns over potential disruption. The following month, plans to target Manchester Airport came to light.
Knorr and Reid, along with Indigo Rumbelow and Leonorah Ward, were intercepted by police in the early hours of August 5. They had travelled from the Midlands and were staying at an Airbnb in Gatley. Officers in unmarked vehicles stopped the group as they walked near the property at around 4:25am.
Tools including wire cutters, angle grinders, and industrial superglue were recovered - items the prosecution said were intended for use in a planned protest on the airport taxiway. Police also seized mobile phones that were allegedly to be used to film and broadcast the demonstration. The protest did not go ahead, and all four were arrested.
The group denied conspiring to cause a public nuisance but were found guilty following a trial.
Sentencing them at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, Judge Jason MacAdam told the defendants: 'This was a highly organised, planned and determined conspiracy. If it had been successfully executed, the evidence, which was either unchallenged or tested without success, demonstrated it would have for some time resulted in chaos not just at Manchester Airport, but to infrastructure around the airport and would have had a consequential effect on other airports.'
He continued: 'The principle of deterrence when sentencing cases which are as serious as this is of particular relevance and importance… to prevent social unrest arising from the type of escalating illegal activity that all of you, affiliating yourselves with a cause, had become involved with.'
Judge MacAdam also noted that their actions differed from those who engage in civil disobedience while accepting responsibility and legal consequences: 'The stance taken by you distinguishes you all from others who have chosen to follow the long and honourable tradition of civil disobedience on conscientious grounds.'
Daniel Knorr, 22, and Leonorah Ward, 22, both of Second Avenue, Birmingham; Indigo Rumbelow, 30, of Anthill Road, Haringey; and Margaret Reid, 54, of Low Fellside, Kendal; were all convicted of conspiracy to intentionally cause a public nuisance following a trial.
Rumbelow was jailed for two-and-a-half years, Knorr for two years, and Reid and Ward were both sentenced to 18 months.
Following the sentencing, Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes of Greater Manchester Police said: 'This result is testament to all the hard-working officers across the force… we will always use the full resources of Greater Manchester Police to protect the public, prevent disruptions, and ensure people are brought to justice.'
Detective Chief Inspector Tony Platten, the senior investigating officer, added: 'We know this disruption was deliberately planned to coincide with the height of the summer holidays… The group's actions demonstrated a complete disregard for the impact on the lives of those travelling via Greater Manchester, and I welcome the sentences handed down today.'
Nicola Wells, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said: 'This was a targeted attack, at the height of summer, against one of the country's busiest airports… Whenever the right to protest crosses into criminality… we will not hesitate to prosecute these cases.'
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Rad Taylor, director of Aerodrome Operations at Manchester Airport, said: 'What these individuals were planning would not only have caused significant disruption… but also a significant safety risk. The potential consequences of that do not bear thinking about.'
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