‘Stansted 15’ deportation flight protesters have convictions overturned

Protesters who were prosecuted under anti-terror legislation after they prevented a deportation flight taking off from Stansted Airport have had their convictions overturned by the Court of Appeal.

The so-called Stansted 15 cut through the airport’s perimeter fence in March 2017 and locked themselves together around a Boeing 767 chartered by the Home Office to transport people from detention centres to Africa.

The protesters were convicted under an act that was passed in response to the Lockerbie bombing and it was the first time it had been used against peaceful protesters.