XR activists protest at Maastricht airport against use of private jets for TEFAF art fair
Climate activists are now also protesting in front of the entrance to the building where the international art fair TEFAF is held. The demonstrators are sitting in front of both entrances to the MECC exhibition building. There is a lot of police presence.
Around 60 activists from organizations such as Extinction Rebellion (XR) protested against private jets at Maastricht Aachen Airport (MAA) on Saturday. These are currently mainly used by visitors to the international art fair TEFAF in Maastricht. According to XR, these private jets have a "disproportionately high environmental and climate impact".
The municipalities of Meerssen and Beek have imposed an emergency order on the airport and the Marechausse are heavily deployed. There is also a massive police presence with several vans and Mobile Unit staff as well as dog handlers.
According to XR, around three to four private jets land on the MAA every day. During TEFAF, there are 200. Therefore, the climate action group demands that the MAA stop the private jets immediately.
The MAA is a "private jet paradise" and such business jets are very harmful to the environment, XR said. “The climate and ecological crisis is worsening every day. Yet the extremely wealthy continue with their limitless emissions. This is not possible. That is why we demand that airport managements ban private jets from their airports,” the climate action group wrote on X.
The demonstrators carry banners with slogans such as "free public transport". "We are of course not against art and antiques and that they are cherished," said an activist. "But against the private jets of people who come to buy art. It is precisely these one percent of the richest people on earth who are responsible for its destruction."
The MAA, however, emphasized that it sees a future in these small business jets. They may be the first to fly electrically and MAA says it is committed to this. In addition, these aircraft will also be used for education and training, as well as for organ transportation, medical flights or the transportation of doctors, said MAA CEO Jonas van Stekelenburg.
MAA says it is open to discussions about this with XR. However, previous consultations with XR have not led to any results.
Reporting by ANP and NL Times
