Sweden: Police arrests 15 climate activists for disrupting flight operations at 8 airports

Swedish authorities have arrested around 15 climate activists in airports across the country on Sunday, October 31. The climate activists were arrested after they protested at airports, which caused disruption in flight operations and delay in flights, reported SVT Nyheter. The arrests happened in eight airports across Sweden. After the incident, police launched an investigation into the matter and the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration has stepped up safety protocols everywhere. 

Climate activists arrested in Sweden

Climate activities tried to stop some planes while protesting, and some of them tried to halt air traffic by glueing themselves to runways. SVT Nyheter quoted Fahlström of the Stockholm Police stating that they saw two persons in the area. Fahlström further mentioned that the people have been arrested and have been suspected of "airport sabotage." During the search that the police carried out in the area, two more people were arrested. In Malmo Airport, a woman who had entered the runaway was arrested by the police.

Later, police received information about people who had entered Arlanda and Landvetter and airports in Halmstad and Vaxjo. Police arrested a man and woman at Vaxjo airport after they glued their hands to the runway. A man in Kalmar who had entered the runway was arrested by the police. Furthermore, four more people were arrested on board two planes after they attempted to stop a plane from taking off at Landvetter Airport and Halmstad City airport. 

Police later arrested one more person on the runway at Angelholm Airport while he was trying to glue his hands. Sweden police has started an investigation into the matter. Both Vaxjo and Bromma Airport were closed to air traffic after the incident, however, they are now open and operational.

Klas Ögren, an official on standby at the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration told SVT Nyheter that they have ramped up the safety of protected objects. Ögren, however, did not divulge details about what exactly the protected objects were. Climate activists in the Extinction Rebellion Sweden network have claimed responsibility for the actions. Furthermore, they told SVT Nyheter that a total of 15 people have been arrested in connection to the incident.

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