High Court delivers judgment on protest injunction at London City Airport

17/10/24

The High Court has this week handed down judgment in the case of London City Airport v Persons Unknown [2024] EWHC 2557.

In the wake of Just Stop Oil’s campaign to disrupt airports around the country in summer 2024, London City Airport sought an injunction to prohibit trespass on its site by environmental protestors. The claim was brought against “Persons Unknown” only, described as “newcomers” in the sense that no identified person had yet trespassed on the land or threatened to do so. In granting the injunction for 5 years, Julian Knowles J applied the principles set out in the recent Supreme Court judgment in Wolverhampton CC v London Gypsies & Travellers [2024] 2 WLR 45. One of the notable aspects of the case is that, in light of the Wolverhampton CC principles, the 5-year injunction was granted at the first without notice hearing without the need for a return hearing (albeit with provision for an annual review).  

The judgment can be found here.

Yaaser’s website on protest injunctions can be found here – https://protestinjunctions.com.