Thousands in fines for graffiti artists fighting Heathrow expansion

Thousands in fines for graffiti artists fighting Heathrow expansion
Spray cans against climate change — Activists who subverted pro-Heathrow advertising billboards found guilty and given hefty fines by a UK court.

“Advertising makes a twat of us all,” STRIKE! Magazine reminded us when we talked about their subversive anti-advertising campaigns. It’s the propaganda that pollutes our public spaces.

One of the worst recent examples of a pathetic attempt to manipulate public opinion come from the pro-Heathrow Airport expansion campaign – so much so that the Advertising Standards Authority ordered them to be removed over unsubstantiated and misleading claims.

Before waiting for the ASA’s decision to confirm the ads were certified bullshit, graffiti activists Joe McGahan and Lawrence Rose took matters into their own hands – defacing the ads with some home truths.

Subvertising015-2

They were arrested after painting a billboard reading ‘Heathrow expansion: Those living around us are behind us’ so that it read ‘Those living around us are choking’.

Both admitted to the graffiti upon arrest, but argued they were acting to prevent greater crimes against local residents and all other life on earth. They plead ‘not guilty’, using the statutory defence of ‘lawful excuse’.

However, a jury at Isleworth Crown Court found Lawrence, 29, and Joe, 32, guilty of criminal damage and Judge Edmunds QC ordered them to pay costs of £1615 and £1040 respectively.

In a bitterly ironic judgement, given the damage a third runway is likely to inflict on local residents, the pair were also convicted of going equipped to cause criminal damage against the property of Heathrow Airports Ltd and sentenced to a twelve month conditional discharge.

Subvertising014-2

While Heathrow’s claims have been proven misleading, Lawrence and Joe have science on their side. A 2012 study found around fifty early deaths a year can be attributed to air pollution from Heathrow. “We attempted to alter Heathrow’s fraudulent billboards in order to portray a more accurate reality of the harm and misery Heathrow’s expansion will bring to local residents and the environment,” Joe said.

Unfortunately, this was insufficient to sway the jury, but local residents have rallied in supported of the convicted protestors. “The reason my home and my daughter’s school haven’t been demolished for new runways is that people took action like this,” Tracy Howard, a Sipson resident, said. “The ones who should be in court are the Heathrow bosses doing truly criminal damage to our climate and our villages.”

Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Latest on Huck

Picking through the rubble: Glimpses of hope in the US election results
Activism

Picking through the rubble: Glimpses of hope in the US election results

Clambering through the wreckage of the Harris campaign, delving deeper into the election results and building on the networks that already exist, all hope is not gone writes Ben Smoke.

Written by: Ben Smoke

US Election night 2024 in Texas
Photography

US Election night 2024 in Texas

Photographer Tom “TBow” Bowden travelled to Republican and Democratic watch parties around Houston, capturing their contrasting energies as results began to flow in.

Written by: Isaac Muk

In photos: “Real life is not black and white” – Polaroid x Magnum Open Call winners
Photography

In photos: “Real life is not black and white” – Polaroid x Magnum Open Call winners

See pictures from the competition organised by two titans of contemporary photography, which called upon artists to reject the digitalisation and over-perfectionism of our modern world, technology and image-making.

Written by: Huck

In photos: Rednecks with Paychecks
Photography

In photos: Rednecks with Paychecks

‘American Diesel’ is a new photo series that looks at the people, places and culture behind the stereotypes of rural America.

Written by: Ben Smoke

How do you solve a problem like the music industry?
Culture

How do you solve a problem like the music industry?

Beyond the Music is a conference and grassroots festival bringing together people from across the industry to try and grapple with the biggest issues facing it.

Written by: Ben Smoke

Laura Crane is waving goodbye to sexism in surfing
Outdoors

Laura Crane is waving goodbye to sexism in surfing

The first UK woman to surf the legendary big wave spot Nazarè, Crane is surfing the sea change in the sport and beyond.

Written by: Sam Haddad

Sign up to our newsletter

Issue 81: The more than a game issue

Buy it now