Four Just Stop Oil Protesters Convicted Over Airport Disruption Plans

Four Just Stop Oil protesters have been found guilty of conspiracy to cause public nuisance at Manchester Airport after they planned to disrupt airport activity by gluing themselves to the taxiway. The group, which included Indigo Rumbelow, Leanorah Ward, Margaret Reid, and Daniel Knorr, was apprehended by Greater Manchester Police on August 5, 2024, while equipped with tools such as bolt cutters, angle grinders, and glue. A handwritten note found on Ward outlined their intentions to alert police after entering the airfield. Prosecutors described their actions as a targeted attack that disregarded public safety during a busy travel period. The court emphasized the need to balance the right to protest with the rights of the public to use the airport without disruption. The activists are scheduled for sentencing later this year.