Will Taylor Swift’s private jet and US airports be attacked?

The aviation industry will finally fully get better from COVID-19 in 2024. After a decline to only 16.9 million flights in 2020, airlines will reached a brand new high with 40.1 flights in 2024. This 12 months may even be a record 4.7 billion passengers.

But as COVID has receded, a brand new threat to the $996 billion airline industry has emerged. Radical activists, particularly climate and pro-Palestinian activists, have targeted aviation and airports within the US and Europe. Private jets, including those of celebrities like Taylor Swift, are being targeted.

So far, the best damage has been financial and has caused delays for 1000’s of travelers. However, pro-Palestinian attempts to blockade airports have also injured law enforcement officials and planes have needed to be diverted to avoid landing on people whose hands were glued to runways. At a pro-Palestinian protest rally at New York’s JFK airport According to reports, a big balloon was launched in a possible try to disrupt flight operations.

On June 19, two self-proclaimed climate activists apparently sawed through a chain-link fence on the British Stansted Airport. Inside, they attacked two private jets with a paint spray gun, causing at the least $65,000 price of injury. They initially claimed that one in all the jets belonged to megastar singer Taylor Swift, though her plane was not even on the airport.

Proud of their actions, the 2 British protesters Jennifer Kowalski (28) and Cole Macdonald (22) filmed a video of the break-in. It shows how they cut open the fence and gave the planes a brand new orange coat of paint using fire extinguishers. It can be said that as much as 75 flights were delayed consequently.

British authorities said They were arrested “within 9 minutes” and charged with criminal damage, trespassing and, more importantly, “disrupting national infrastructure.” In a refreshing change, a British judge refused to release the pair immediately.

Climate activists have also sprayed Stonehenge And interrupted the 18^th Hole of the PGA Travelers Championship tournament, carry T-shirts with the slogan “NO GOLF ON A DEAD PLANET”.

Just Stop Oil claimed responsibility for the attack on the airport, in addition to for the repainting of Stonehenge. Just Stop Oil said“80% of the population has never flown. Only 1% of people cause 50% of global aviation emissions. Private jet users cause up to 14 times more CO2 emissions than commercial flights.” The Stansted attackers allegedly desired to send a signal for the necessity for an “emergency treaty to end fossil fuels by 2030.”

The attack on Stansted is just one in all many attempts to “compromise national infrastructure” within the name of a greater good. A potentially more serious attack took place in May at Munich Airport, when six climate “protesters” glued themselves to the runway to protest against the pollution attributable to flying. Thousands were delayed. In 2022, activists glued themselves to the runway at Berlin Airport, putting themselves and their passengers in peril. Activists have previously blocked roads to Heathrow Airport and broken into private jet terminals within the US

Climate activists prefer to goal private jets, ostensibly because they produce more carbon per passenger. Other reasons might include easier access to personal jet take-off slots and the priceless publicity they get from targeting jet-setting celebs like Taylor Swift. But while the private jet industry is undoubtedly under threat, airlines are also on their no-fly list.

These attacks on airports are usually not only outrageous and annoying. Not only do they endanger the liberty of travel of hundreds of thousands of individuals, but in addition they pose a threat to passengers, airport staff, law enforcement officials and the protesters themselves.

In the United States, pro-Palestinian protests weren’t limited to the development of illegal university camps and the harassment of scholars.

Since October 7, when Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, killing, raping and kidnapping greater than 1,400 people, pro-Palestinian protesters have been attempting to block national transport infrastructure corresponding to airports, highways, bridges, tunnels and train stations.

Protesters at universities have even targeted aviation. TENET Media reported on June 14 that a “pro-Palestinian UCLA protester hits a news helicopter with a laser,” and released images of the alleged attack.

Yet there was little to no federal investigation.

Major U.S. airports corresponding to JFK, LGA, LAX, PDX, ORD, SEA and ATL were all blocked, some multiple times. Travelers had to desert their rides and struggled to push heavy luggage into their terminal.

In a violent protest In December 2023, pro-Palestinian protesters attempted to dam an access road at LAX airport, littering the road with tree branches, trash cans, traffic cones, electric scooters, and construction debris. Drivers stuck in traffic jams were attacked of their vehicles, a police officer was thrown to the bottom, and 36 arrests were made.

Law enforcement responses varied widely. Despite a two-hour roadblock at PDX (Portland) on New Year’s Day or at ATL on June 3, no arrests were made. However, when pro-Palestinian protesters launched a coordinated simultaneous roadblock at JFK at 3pm and at #LAX at 12pm on December 27, New York and Los Angeles police arrested a complete of 62 people.

The response of local police varied, but what remained consistent was the dearth of federal government motion to deal with what gave the impression to be a nationwide problem.

On 2 June there was an try to close or take over Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta (ATL), the busiest airport within the United States.

Since that is at the least the tenth attempt by pro-Palestinian protesters to blockade a US airport, I even have asked the Department of Transportation (DOT) for an announcement.

I received this statement: “DOT and FAA do not own or operate airports. Airport security is the responsibility of airport authorities, local law enforcement, and the Transportation Security Administration, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security. The Department respects the First Amendment right to protest, but this activity should never jeopardize the safety of travelers or workers. When safety is threatened, law enforcement should use its full authority to intervene and investigate.”

The response from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) was similar. A spokesperson said: “Vehicles participating in a protest outside of ATL property have driven through the airport’s public streets. Police and ATL personnel are monitoring the situation. Operations have not been impacted.”

I received no response to inquiries to the FBI, the Department of Justice and the TSA.

Regardless of the costs brought against airport vandals and road blockers, they’re restricting a fundamental human right – freedom of travel. According to Article 13 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights:

1. Everyone has the appropriate to freedom of movement and residence throughout the territory of the State.
2. Everyone has the appropriate to go away any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

Within the USA the appropriate to travel Within and between states is a fundamental civil right.

The danger to travel doesn’t just affect the Taylor Swifts of the world. The United States and Europe must crack down on those that attack our airports before tragedy strikes.