London City Airport shut as protesters occupy sole runway

[LONDON] London City Airport was closed to flights after a protest group breached the business hub's security perimeter and occupied its single runway.

Nine people chained themselves to a tripod positioned on the landing strip, according to a Metropolitan Police statement Tuesday, which said officers are "awaiting the arrival of specialist resources" to break the locks.

Local press reports said that the activists are members of the Black Lives Matter campaign group.

Morning flights at the terminal, favoured by corporate travellers for its proximity to London's main business district, were disrupted from least 5.40am London time, when the authorities were alerted.

"Police are present and we will resume normal operations as soon as possible," London City said in an e-mail. "We apologise to passengers for any inconvenience." London Heathrow airport suffered a security breach in July 2015 when climate-change protesters from the Plane Stupid group chained themselves together on the northern landing strip, causing the cancellation of at least 21 flights.

BLOOMBERG