Environmental Activists Temporarily Shut Down EBACE Static Display

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A group of between 80 and 100 environmental activists pushed through security gates at Geneva International Airport in Switzerland today (May 23) to protest the ongoing European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE). Wearing yellow high-visibility vests that resembled those worn by security personnel, protestors breached the gates surrounding the EBACE static display ramp at around 11:30 a.m. local time. Some handcuffed themselves to aircraft and chanted anti-business aviation slogans. Some carried banners reading “#BanPrivateJets” and “WARNING: Private jets drown our hope.”

According to the Greenpeace website, the protestors included representatives from environmental activist groups Greenpeace, Stay Grounded, Extinction Rebellion, Scientist Rebellion “and other climate movement groups from 17 countries.”

The protest caused officials to close the airport to air traffic for approximately one hour, causing several flights to be diverted or hold before landing. According to Reuters, four people were injured, including protesters and security personnel.

Show organizers, including the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) and the U.S.-based National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), had agreed to sponsor a planned protest later in the day, hoping to keep the activists from disrupting the event.

As reported by Aviation International News, in a joint statement, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen and EBAA head Juergen Wiese said, “This is a completely unacceptable form of protest.” The statement added, “Today’s disruption ignores the fact that business aviation is deeply committed to climate action. This is an industry that has cut its carbon emissions by 40 percent over the past 40 years, is continually reducing emissions today, and is collectively focused on achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. We as an industry are open to constructive dialogue about the industry’s sustainability leadership, and we regret the protestors’ unfortunate decision to disregard an opportunity for that dialogue to take place.” Overall, the entire aviation industry, including airline and military operations, is said to be responsible for 2 percent of human-generated carbon emissions, while private/general aviation is said to represent around 2 percent of that figure.

Local police removed and detained an unspecified number of the protestors. After security personnel cleared the area, the static display was reopened to EBACE exhibitors and attendees.

Mark Phelps
Mark Phelps is a senior editor at AVweb. He is an instrument rated private pilot and former owner of a Grumman American AA1B and a V-tail Bonanza.

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26 COMMENTS

  1. I wonder how much CO2 the protesters emitted/caused to be emitted by delaying the inbound flights and their own cars driving to the event. Plus their endless talking/complaining. Each exhalation filled with CO2.

    I don’t care about business aviation nor am I jealous of the ultra wealthy who use it. Indeed I’d like to get into some 135 flying after I retire from medicine.

    The CO2 (if it even matters) they produce is so insignificant as to be ignored.

    • Greenpeace spans the globe, with divinely inspired volunteers everywhere. You would not want an ecologically conscious fire on your ass, Arthur.

    • Yep, looney tunes at their finest. Of course, these nut cases all drove their bicycles to the protest holding their breath and ensuring they didn’t leave a footprint. It reminds me of them protesting our smoke during an Airshow a few years back. When they left the ground they left behind plastic bottles, trash, and all type of debris in the spot they were sitting in. Like you said Aruthr crazies or nut cases.

  2. Hmmm, 2% of 2%. That’s 0.04% of all emissions. That’s like 1/10th as bad as cow flatulence..

  3. “Show organizers, including the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) and the U.S.-based National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), had agreed to sponsor a planned protest later in the day, hoping to keep the activists from disrupting the event.”

    The organizers trusted them? Dumb and dumber.

    • Yep, looney tunes at their finest. Of course, these nut cases all drove their bicycles to the protest holding their breath and ensuring they didn’t leave a footprint. It reminds me of them protesting our smoke during an Airshow a few years back. When they left the ground they left behind plastic bottles, trash, and all type of debris in the spot they were sitting in. Like you said Aruthr crazies or nut cases.

  4. Protesting is a great way to “get your message across”. However, these protestors came from 17 countries???? Tell me.. how did they get to Geneva???? Walk??? Bike?? By boat? Train? Or.. flap their arms like Icarus??? Hypocrites!!!

  5. I’ll think about taking these virtue signaling lunatics seriously, when they show up in China, or Russia, and pull the same terrorist stunt.

    • I think the term “watermelon” groups is the answer to your question on eco terrorist selected targets

  6. Just as predicted. Domestic terrorism. Its all over Europe, currently. It will be a while until the authorities get this dead cow off the ice.

  7. Greenpeace is a clever organization that knows how to use the media and public communication to bring about change. They are good at getting the attention of the media, and this helps them spread their message and put pressure on governments and big companies to care more about the environment. By working with media outlets like AVweb, Greenpeace makes their voice louder and motivates people all over the world to take action. Thank you very much!

  8. When Gates, Oprah, Kerry, Harry and Meghan give up their private aircraft, then I’ll give up mine.

  9. I’m sure all the protesters bought carbon credits to offset their travel footprints when they came to Geneva (not!). However, I’m not sure that the entire aviation industry is only responsible for 2% of the total human CO2 emissions. I’ve heard figures closer to 6%. Still, general aviation’s overall contribution is a flyspeck compared to the total. Why doesn’t Greenpeace go chain themselves to the calciner kiln at the local cement plant, or invade the nearest steel mill? This is just a publicity stunt to cash in on the public’s disdain for rich fat cats and their fancy airplanes.

  10. Greenpeace is not officially connected, however strongly supporting of the “Last Generation” clownery. They are a fairly radical derivative of the failed “Fridays For Future” movement, called into existence by Greta Thunberg & Co. Several European authorities are actively trying to find evidence for criminal charges against the group.

    • When I was writing for an end-user bizav publication, I wrote a column about that, citing large-cabin business jets that had an on-board piano bar with a hired musician. In the photo caption, I suggested that owners of smaller jets might be suffering from “pianist envy.”

  11. While I wholeheartedly agree that the panic they try to generate and their means (especially that ridiculous glueing of themselves to roads etc.) are undue and over the top, many aspects of today’s life are now in noticeably better shape partly because of repeated pushes of “green” folks over decades to make industries invest in more efficient and greener technologies by means of incentives and policies.

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