Protester arrested after jumping fence onto Nanaimo Airport runway
A protester with Extinction Rebellion Nanaimo was arrested by RCMP at the Nanaimo Airport after he jumped a fence and entered the tarmac on Monday.
The incident happened around 12:40 p.m. when the protest group was gathered outside the airport’s terminal protesting against the use of fossil fuels for aircraft.
It was part of a nationwide protest at airports across Canada.
"We cannot afford to continue to burn fossil fuels at the rate we are burning and survive," said Leah Morgan, coordinator for Extinction Rebellion Nanaimo.
The protest was part of a global climate protesting campaign leading up to a UN climate summit, according to Extinction Rebellion: (CTV News)
The protester who jumped the fence was able to spray paint a message on the tarmac which stated, "Shut down runways to shut down runaway climate extinction," according to Extinction Rebellion.
Ladysmith RCMP arrived shortly after and arrested the man, transporting him to their detachment.
"It didn't disrupt any of our flights but (it's) very concerning that they would get on the air side and put any of our passengers at any type of risk," said Dave Devana, president and CEO of the Nanaimo Airport.
The protester was charged with mischief and later released until their next court appearance.
Today’s protest were part of a two-week daily protest campaign by Extinction Rebellion chapters across the world.
The two weeks of protests are leading up to the UN Climate Conference, COP26, scheduled to take place in November in Glasgow, Scotland.
Extinction Rebellion Nanaimo is planning a large protest in the city’s harbour next weekend.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.