Red Line Against Airport Expansion
Barcelona (Spain), 2019

“Growth of aviation will fry our planet and worsen the problems of mass tourism in Barcelona.”

On the 14th of July 2019, activists from Climacció and Stay Grounded formed a red line at Barcelona’s El Prat Airport, symbolising the barrier that must be drawn to prevent airport expansion. The action highlighted the harmful impacts of aviation on both the climate and the living conditions in Barcelona, where touristification contributes to rising rents, precarious jobs and the displacement of local communities.

Timing

  • The action coincided with the final day of the Degrowth of Aviation conference, organised by the Stay Grounded network and local initiatives. This helped link the action to the broader debate on aviation degrowth.
  • The protest responded to plans for the expansion of Barcelona’s El Prat Airport, aiming to draw attention to the environmental and social harm caused by aviation growth and touristification in the city.
  • Subvertising activities, in which activists posted anti-expansion messages over commercial ads at bus and metro stations, were conducted 1-2 days prior to the main action.

Location

  • The protest took place at the arrivals hall of Barcelona’s El Prat Airport—a symbolic and strategic location. The airport, as the centre of the expansion plans, made sense as the target to raise public awareness, particularly since decision-making power wasn’t based in Barcelona.
  • The choice of the arrivals hall was also tactical, as it allowed easy access without requiring protesters to breach high-security areas, which would have posed legal and logistical challenges.

Type of Action

  • The action was a small to medium-sized direct action, with around 20 people forming the red line and another 15-30 activists participating as media personnel or posing as “interested bystanders.”
  • The red line consisted of activists sitting on the floor, symbolising resistance without actively blocking the flow of people, as civil disobedience for climate reasons was still quite new in Spain/Catalunya at the time.
  • The subvertising activities involved groups of 2-4 activists replacing commercial ads with posters denouncing airport expansion, with a total of 15-20 people participating.

Insights

  • The red line action, tied to the Degrowth of Aviation conference, successfully drew attention to the broader issue of aviation growth and its impacts in Barcelona. The connection between the action and the conference spotlighted both, amplifying their message in the media and within activist circles.
  • Subvertising in the days leading up to the action helped build momentum and awareness, laying the groundwork for the main protest at the airport.

Obstacles

  • The organising group had limited experience with direct action, which led to a concentration of responsibility and decision-making on two main organisers. This resulted in a heavier mental burden for them and reduced the inclusivity of the planning process.
  • It was difficult to gauge how authorities would react to the protest, as direct action in airports was still novel in the region. In hindsight, the organisers felt they could have been bolder in their approach, perhaps making the red line more obstructive to provoke stronger public reaction.

Strengths

  • The association of the red line protest with the Degrowth of Aviation conference was key to the action’s visibility and success. The synergy between the two helped ensure media coverage and broader public attention.

Lessons learned

  • It’s important to ensure there are enough people with the time, capacity, and willingness to contribute to the planning and execution of an action. Over-reliance on a few key organisers can strain resources and diminish the inclusivity and openness of the organising process.
  • Reflecting on the action, the organisers felt they could have taken a bolder approach to civil disobedience, such as making the red line more of a physical barrier to airport users.