EBACE – Stop the Private Jet Champagne Party
Geneva (Switzerland), 2023

“We’ve come to tell the super-rich that the party is over.”

In May 2023, 100 activists from 17 countries stormed the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland, exposing the hidden world of private jet sales and demanding a ban on private jets. Their message: while the wealthy buy jets and fly around contributing disproportionately to climate breakdown, the most vulnerable suffer the consequences.

Timing

  • The action took place on the 23rd of May 2023, the first day of EBACE, but also just before the EU Transport Council meeting on the 1st of June, which was set to discuss a potential ban on private jets.
  • The objective was to raise public awareness about the environmental impact of private jets and to pressure decision-makers to implement new policies, including a ban on private jets and the introduction of taxes for frequent flyers.

Location

  • The protest targeted EBACE, Europe’s largest sales fair for private jets, held annually in Geneva. The event had long been overlooked by the general public, receiving media attention only within industry circles. By targeting this hidden event, activists aimed to scandalise its existence and shed light on the unchecked damage caused by the private jet industry.

Type of Action

  • This was a large-scale direct action, with 100 activists infiltrating the exhibition and another 20-40 playing supportive roles outside. Activists blocked access to the venue and used chains to lock-on to the jets.
  • The protest also featured the symbolic use of giant tobacco-style health warning labels affixed to jets, branding them as toxic objects and warning that private jets “burn our future,” “kill our planet,” and “fuel inequality.”
  • Loudspeakers were used to deliver public service announcements exposing the hypocrisy of promoting private jets amid rising social inequality.
  • The action required a high budget due to legal costs, travel reimbursement for international activists, and material for training. Planning began in February, requiring about 3-4 months of preparation.

Insights

  • The action was highly successful in bringing international media attention to the issue of private jets and EBACE, an event that had previously flown under the radar. The protest also influenced political discourse, with Austria, France, Ireland, and the Netherlands pushing the EU to strengthen legislation on the environmental impact of private jets in the immediate aftermath.
  • The protest used a powerful combination of visuals, direct action, and media outreach to effectively highlight the disparity between the super-rich and the broader population suffering from the effects of climate breakdown.

Obstacles

  • Collaborating between movement actors and more established NGOs presented challenges, particularly in terms of coordination. Additionally, there was heavier security at the event than expected, which complicated the execution of certain tactics.

Strengths

  • Yet, the collaboration between grassroots movement actors and established NGOs was also a key factor in the action’s success. The involvement of NGOs provided essential resources (money, staff), while the grassroots movements brought international scope and an empowering sense of participation for the activists involved.
  • The protest’s creative use of symbolic messaging, like the tobacco-style labels, resonated widely with the media and public, amplifying the action’s impact.

Lessons learned

  • Collaboration across different sectors of the movement can significantly enhance the resources and reach of an action. Combining the financial and logistical capacity of NGOs with the energy and international perspective of grassroots activists can lead to more effective campaigns.
  • Planning for potential obstacles, such as increased security presence, is essential. The action’s success could have been threatened by the higher-than-anticipated security measures, but the preparedness of the activists allowed them to adapt.