Environmental activists disrupt access to Montreal-Trudeau Airport

Protesters disrupt Montreal airport traffic Environmental activists glued their hands to an access road at the Montreal-Trudeau International Airport.

Environmental activists calling for an end to all new fossil fuel projects disrupted access to Montreal-Trudeau International Airport on Wednesday.

Activists from 'The Last Generation' group reportedly glued their hands to the ground on one of the lanes leading to the Montreal airport loading dock at around 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

Around 1:30 p.m., the Montreal police department (SPVM) intervened and arrested three protesters.

"Three activists glued their hands to the ground in front of the road leading to the airport, with a view to blocking it,” said Jacob Pirro, a spokesperson for the group, in an interview with The Canadian Press.

"These people are asking the Canadian government to endorse the Fossil Energy Non-Proliferation Treaty, which calls for a halt to the expansion of fossil fuels, a just transition for the people who work in this industry and, finally, binding laws to ensure the reduction, until a complete halt, of the fossil fuel industry," said Pirro.

"Concerted action by a group of individuals is causing delays in accessing the YUL airport site," wrote Montreal-Trudeau International Airport on the social network X. " Measures are in place to remedy this situation as soon as possible. We invite users to use the express drop-off points at parking lots P4 and P10.'

Environmental groups claimed similar actions on Wednesday at various European airports.

Early Wednesday afternoon, the X account associated with 'The Last Generation' in Canada wrote that the activists "don't want to disrupt" and "don't want to have to do these things."

However, it wrote, "when faced with a life-or-death situation, nonviolent resistance is our last chance to move forward. Canada must implement a legally binding fossil fuel treaty."

'The Last Generation' describes itself as a group that advocates non-violent civil resistance.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 24, 2024.