2023-12-16 15:16:00
Code Red had the ambition to block a private jet airport in Antwerp to denounce the aviation sector and its ecological and social consequences. The activists, dressed in white overalls and masks, walked on public paths towards the targeted area. For the moment, nothing illegal, but the police decided to act and massively arrest anyone who was there.
The president of the Human Rights League arrested during an action of the Code Red movement
Even if the action was intended to be peaceful, the blows were lost between activists and the police. In several videos published on the Code Rouge Instagram account, we see police officers carrying out blows. With batons in hand, several activists were beaten by law enforcement officials.
The demands and justification for this action of civil disobedience are as follows: “The aviation sector is disastrous for the climate and biodiversity. It harms public health and benefits from numerous tax breaks and millions of dollars in subsidies. All this while 80% of the world’s population has never flown and only 1% is responsible for half of aviation emissions. It is high time to bring the aviation industry to heel and make a 180-degree turn, putting people and planet first.
The action continues and in a message posted on Instagram, the civil disobedience movement states: “Despite the mass arrests and disproportionate police violence in Antwerp, our activists in Liège stood firm and are now ready to block Liège airport (Yes, you read correctly, we had 2 targets planned.) The police used pepper spray, sabotaged equipment, injured activists some of whom are in hospital, arrested more than 500 activists, arrested and beat legal observers (including the president of Droits Des League Humains). But we will not give up and let our democratic rights be silenced by disproportionate police violence.”
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