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Protesters break into secure area at UK airport

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-12-08 17:24

LONDON -- British police say they have arrested more than two dozen environmental protesters who broke into a secure area of Stansted Airport near London.

Environmental protesters are seen as they stage a protest at Stansted airport, north of London, December 8, 2008. Flights to London's Stansted airport were disrupted on Monday after environmental campaigners staged a demonstration, airport operator BAA said on Monday. [Agencies]

The protest group says its activists occupied a runway that had been undergoing maintenance work.

The group calls itself Plane Stupid and says the protest before dawn on Monday was meant to criticize the government's decision to allow the expansion of Stansted Airport. It says aviation is the fastest growing source of carbon emissions.

Some flights have been affected by the protest, but the airport says operations are returning to normal.

Stansted is 38 miles (60 kilometers) northeast of London and serves European regional flights.