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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/nov/05/stansted-protests-were-to-protect-human-rights-court-told
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| Stansted protests were to protect human rights, court told | Stansted protests were to protect human rights, court told |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Fifteen people on trial for blocking the takeoff of an immigration removal charter flight told police they were acting to protect the human rights of passengers who were at risk of persecution, torture, serious injury or death if they were deported, a court has heard. | Fifteen people on trial for blocking the takeoff of an immigration removal charter flight told police they were acting to protect the human rights of passengers who were at risk of persecution, torture, serious injury or death if they were deported, a court has heard. |
| In statements made after their arrests at Stansted in March 2017, the activists told police they believed the removals were being carried out unlawfully, and that they acted “in a reasonable and proportionate way” to prevent harm coming to those onboard. | |
| All 15 are on trial for endangering the safety of an aerodrome for chaining themselves together around a Titan Airways flight chartered by the Home Office to remove 60 people to Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone. If convicted, the maximum possible sentence is life in prison. | All 15 are on trial for endangering the safety of an aerodrome for chaining themselves together around a Titan Airways flight chartered by the Home Office to remove 60 people to Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone. If convicted, the maximum possible sentence is life in prison. |
| They were arrested on 28 March, the day after they walked on to the apron at Stansted, after police spent several hours cutting them free from “lock-on” devices they used to secure themselves around the plane. | |
| May McKeith said in her statement to police that she had evidence that one of the deportees, a Nigerian woman, had come to the UK so she could live her life safely as a lesbian. | May McKeith said in her statement to police that she had evidence that one of the deportees, a Nigerian woman, had come to the UK so she could live her life safely as a lesbian. |
| “She was being deported back to Nigeria, where her ex-husband had already informed the police,” McKeith said in her statement. “Homosexuality is illegal in Nigeria and her life and freedom have therefore been put at risk. The woman also says her husband will kill her. | “She was being deported back to Nigeria, where her ex-husband had already informed the police,” McKeith said in her statement. “Homosexuality is illegal in Nigeria and her life and freedom have therefore been put at risk. The woman also says her husband will kill her. |
| “I acted in the way that I did as I genuinely and reasonably believed that the individuals on the plane were at risk of death or serious injury if returned. Bearing in mind the risk to those individuals, I acted in a reasonable and proportionate way throughout.” | “I acted in the way that I did as I genuinely and reasonably believed that the individuals on the plane were at risk of death or serious injury if returned. Bearing in mind the risk to those individuals, I acted in a reasonable and proportionate way throughout.” |
| Lyndsay Burtonshaw referred to the case of a young man whose entire family in Nigeria had been murdered by the militant group Boko Haram. “He knew that Boko Haram wanted to kill him and so he was fearing for his life if he returned to Nigeria. He has already suffered many bereavements,” she said. | Lyndsay Burtonshaw referred to the case of a young man whose entire family in Nigeria had been murdered by the militant group Boko Haram. “He knew that Boko Haram wanted to kill him and so he was fearing for his life if he returned to Nigeria. He has already suffered many bereavements,” she said. |
| “I believe wholeheartedly that without this peaceful non-violent direct action to stop the plane, people would die as a result.” | “I believe wholeheartedly that without this peaceful non-violent direct action to stop the plane, people would die as a result.” |
| Joseph McGahan said that he felt anguished after consulting an immigration lawyer who told him many of the people on the flight would have had open applications for asylum or be in the process of appeal. | |
| “My anguish was compounded by their view that this malpractice is currently common and official attempts to restrict it are very often futile, even for professionals,” he said in his statement. | “My anguish was compounded by their view that this malpractice is currently common and official attempts to restrict it are very often futile, even for professionals,” he said in his statement. |
| “Hence I concluded that peacefully intercepting and blocking the flight was the only reasonable course of action for an unprofessional person such as myself, and believe that action was proportionate to the threat that was posed.” | |
| The statements were included in the agreed facts of the case and provided to the Guardian by End Deportations, an activist group supporting the defendants. | The statements were included in the agreed facts of the case and provided to the Guardian by End Deportations, an activist group supporting the defendants. |
| On Monday morning, more than 100 supporters of the defendants gathered outside Chelmsford crown court ahead of the expected opening of their defence. Speakers including the actor Vanessa Redgrave, former immigration detainees and relatives of the defendants said they believed the defendants were exercising their democratic rights to protest against an unjust immigration regime. | |
| Supporters of the defendants packed the public gallery for the hearing. However, before the defence could open, the judge heard lengthy legal arguments relating to the issues it will touch on, which cannot be reported. | Supporters of the defendants packed the public gallery for the hearing. However, before the defence could open, the judge heard lengthy legal arguments relating to the issues it will touch on, which cannot be reported. |
| In addition to McKeith, Burtonshaw and McGahan, Nicholas Sigsworth, Helen Brewer, Nathan Clack, Laura Clayson, Mel Evans, Benjamin Smoke, Jyotsna Ram, Alistair Temlit, Edward Thacker, Emma Hughes, Ruth Potts and Melanie Stickland are also charged with intentional disruption of services at an aerodrome under the 1990 Aviation and Maritime Security Act, a law passed in response to the 1988 Lockerbie bombing. The defendants, aged 27 to 44, have all pleaded not guilty. | |
| The trial is expected to last two more weeks. | The trial is expected to last two more weeks. |
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