Heathrow Die-in and Critical Mass
London (UK), 2016

“Expanding Heathrow is incompatible with creating a fairer and more equal world.”

In October 2016, Reclaim the Power staged an occupation and die-in at Heathrow Airport, while simultaneously organising a protest bike ride to Harmondsworth Detention Centre. The action focused on the devastating effects of expanding air traffic and the links between climate breakdown and forced migration.

Timing

  • The action took place in October 2016, timed to coincide with a major meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal. At this meeting, global aviation decarbonisation policies were being negotiated.
  • The action was part of a global wave of protests against aviation expansion and its contribution to climate breakdown, with similar actions happening around the world on the same day.

Location

  • The action was carried out in two parts: one at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal, where activists staged a mass die-in, and the other at Harmondsworth Immigration Detention Centre, where many refugees and migrants were held.
  • The protest bike ride started near Heathrow Airport and made its way to the detention centre, which was not announced as part of the route in advance.

Type of Action

  • The action involved a critical mass bike ride, with 150-200 participants cycling around the airport area and finishing at the detention centre. The ride was used to draw connections between aviation expansion and the global destruction caused by climate change.
  • A mass die-in was staged at the terminal, with activists theatrically representing wealthy frequent flyers trampling over the bodies of the vulnerable. This dramatic display symbolised how the benefits of air traffic are enjoyed only by a few, while the majority, particularly those in the Global South, suffer the consequences.
  • The action was low-budget but required several months of planning and coordination by a small team of dedicated organisers.

Insights

  • The visual and dramatic nature of the die-in strikingly highlighted the inequality between frequent flyers and those most impacted by climate collapse. However, the activists would likely use a different, more sensitive, motif than a die-in if they were to carry out the action today.
  • The combination of a public demonstration and a surprise stop at the detention centre linked the issues of aviation expansion with the broader context of displacement and migration.

Obstacles

  • Organiser capacity was a major challenge, as the team responsible for planning the action was relatively small and faced difficulties in managing all aspects of preparation.
  • Coordination and project management were sometimes lacking, which slowed down progress during certain phases of the planning process.

Strengths

  • Despite the challenges, the organisers had a clear vision for the action and were highly committed to seeing it through.
  • Promotion of the event was strong, leading to a great turnout on the day. The critical mass bike ride in particular attracted a large number of participants.
  • Effective press engagement in advance and on the day meant that one crew of TV reporters covered the bike ride and articulated the interconnected injustice of migration, detention and climate breakdown extremely well on the evening news.

Lessons learned

  • Effective project management and coordination is crucial for actions of this scale. In periods when the team had a dedicated coordinator overseeing task completion, preparation went much more smoothly and efficiently.
  • Press work is invaluable for amplifying the action’s impact, but it requires dedicated capacity to handle media relations effectively.