Climate Activists Disrupt Major European Airports

Germany's Cologne-Bonn airport temporarily halted flights after climate activists glued their hands to a runway. British police arrested nine activists planning to disrupt Heathrow Airport. The actions seem part of a coordinated global campaign by groups aiming to push governments for fossil fuel phase-out by 2030.

Germany's Cologne-Bonn airport temporarily halted all flights Wednesday as climate activists from Last Generation glued their hands to a runway, signaling the beginning of a series of similar actions planned worldwide within weeks. British police also arrested nine activists from Just Stop Oil, who aimed to disrupt operations at Heathrow Airport.

While it remains unclear if these actions were coordinated, Last Generation indicated that British airports were among their targets. Cologne-Bonn, Germany's sixth-largest airport, resumed operations shortly after 0400 GMT. Last Generation posted images online of activists glued to the runway, emphasizing their call for a global exit from oil, gas, and coal by 2030.

Activist Ronja Kuenkler announced that the group plans to continue these disruptions in Germany, Europe, and globally. Despite predictions of protests at airports across Europe and North America, major disruptions were averted, and several attempts foiled. In Norway, police detained three activists who briefly breached Oslo Airport's runway.

(With inputs from agencies.)