Just Stop Oil protesters arrested at airport

The group were found with items police said would be used to disrupt the airport

Four environmental activists who police said planned to cause "significant disruption" at a major airport have been arrested.

The group of Just Stop Oil protesters were detained by officers near Manchester Airport on suspicion of conspiring to cause a public nuisance.

Three woman, aged 21, 30, and 53, and a man aged 23, were found with items police said would have been used to cause "damage and significant disruption" to airport operations.

Ch Supt Mark Dexter said the arrests prevented a "determined and targeted attack which would have brought significant delays".

'Disruptive'

The four activists have been held in police custody for questioning, the force said.

A Just Stop Oil spokeswoman said its four supporters had been planning to take nonviolent action as part of its campaign to end the extraction and burning of fossil fuels by 2030.

They would "accept any legal consequences" following their arrests, she added.

Ch Supt Dexter, Greater Manchester Police's head of specialist operations, said the right to protest had to be balanced with the rights of the public to "go about their lives without being subject to unacceptable disruption".

He said police had been working with the airport and other forces to share intelligence to prevent "disruptive and targeted attacks on our airports".