Tucked away under a dreary viaduct, on a nondescript part of Schiphol, about a hundred people stand on Saturday morning, stamping their feet and blowing into their hands to drive away the cold. They didn’t think of it that way, the demonstrators from climate action group Extinction Rebellion. The group wanted to demonstrate “nice and warm under the Christmas tree” of the large shopping hall at Schiphol, but was turned away by the airport authorities. First to a place in front of the main entrance, later to the viaduct. “I say fly, you say scumshouts Puk van Noort, the speaker on the small stage. The audience responds. Fly scum! Vieg scum!”.
These are the “good demonstrators,” they say that morning. But at the same time a “naughty” protest is also taking place. A ‘high risk’ action, as they call it at Extinction Rebellion, with a high chance of being arrested. A group of what they say are about 120 ‘rebels’ is in the halls behind the security to end up. They won’t say how they did that. Once there, some chain themselves to luggage carts. And they pour a brown sludge over the white shiny tile floor. It is a metaphor for the mudslides in the Spanish city of Valencia, says Simone Wiegman, one of the demonstrators. “A few of us tried to mop up the mud again, but in vain, because it is like mopping with the tap open.”
The municipality of Haarlemmermeer already saw such an action coming. That is why an emergency ordinance is in force from last Friday at 12 noon until midnight on Sunday, December 15. During that period, it is not permitted to come within two meters of fences around the airport. People who do that are in violation.
Presents
The climate club’s action on Saturday focuses on KLM’s so-called frequent flyer program, a scheme that offers all kinds of benefits for passengers who often fly with KLM. “Aviation must shrink to achieve the Paris climate goals, but instead KLM continues to hand out gifts to the people who pollute the most,” says Wiegman. Until three years ago, she worked at KLM, but she says she was shocked when she realized how urgent the climate crisis is, and how little responsibility ‘her’ company took in it.
“The more you fly with KLM, the more benefits you get. And do you fly less for a year? Then your benefits will be taken away again. We sat down with KLM almost a year ago, but the fact that they are still promoting this arrangement shows that the reality is not yet sinking in.”
KLM says in response NRC that it concerns a “loyalty program”, intended to encourage travelers to choose KLM instead of a competing airline. According to the spokesperson, there would therefore be no question of promoting more flying. She expresses her surprise by telephone when it turns out that the program is referred to as a ‘frequent flyer program’ on the KLM website. “You can also earn points with us by, for example, booking hotel stays, or by making a financial contribution to alternative fuel.” According to KLM, the door is always open for demonstrators to enter into discussions, but demonstrating at the airport endangers the safety of passengers and colleagues.
Live stream
After more than an hour, the first demonstrators are arrested by the military police. „You are not alone!”the demonstrators still sitting sing as the first activists are lifted onto the well-known yellow carts with which the police regularly remove demonstrators from the highway. At that moment, the livestream with which you can follow the demonstration on the climate club’s Instagram account also stops, because Wiegman, who was operating the camera at that moment, is arrested. Around 3 p.m., the military police announced via the ANP news agency that they had arrested 99 demonstrators. They will be brought before the public prosecutor, according to a spokesperson for the military police.
A Schiphol spokesperson said that all regular security checks were carried out when the demonstrators went through security. It remains to be investigated how the liquid ended up on the floor, according to Schiphol and the military police. Extinction Rebellion does not want to reveal how they proceeded. They do say that the liquid is environmentally friendly, washable and non-toxic.