As anyone who has been there knows, Heathrow is a international joke. However, rather than have to go there and sit around while they hunt for our baggage, we can mock them at home now. BAA, the folk who run the airport, have attempted to ban five million people from visiting it, or using the roads and public transport around it. Thats one in every ten brits. Forget the American's no-fly list, BAA wants you grounded for visiting national mounuments...
It gets better. They have a injuction, and it only prevents unlawful action and bans one group. One wonders why they need a injuction. Heathrow is protected by police, surely in the event of anyone breaking the law, then they could be arrested, and tried, and locked up for a while. One assumes employing this much common sense was too hard for BAA...
Oh, and the High Court has unleashed today's buzzword - They think that the protestors might be terrorists, or might be aiding terrorists by causing a disruption. Considering that our last few terrorist plots have been invented by muppets, this doesn't actually seem unreasonable. However, the idea that people are losing their right to protest due to a vague unsubstianted fear is a disgrace.
That is what it all comes down to in the end. In theory, we live in a country where free speech is the law and we have the right to protest. I may not believe in the cause of the protestors, but I believe that free speech is important right. People will get to wander by the protest camp - they may complain, or they may learn something. The right to protest at heathrow, which is very important considering that BAA are a shitty employer, stands. Yey!
Finally, if you think that the protest is going to disrupt your travel plans and distirb you, think about this: when you are there and have moved away from the camp, the sound of the screaming babies and enginees will still be heard, you will still have to be carefully searched, you will still be waiting around for hours, everything will still be overpriced and they will still cancel your flights and loose your luggage. Still, think of this: BAA says: "we do everything we can to guarantee your (sic) safety and comfort"
posted at: 01:26 | path: /life | permanent link to this entry