Climate protesters block Teterboro Airport entrance, causing road closures

MOONACHIE — About two dozen protesters blocked the entrance of Teterboro Airport on Thursday afternoon, leading to a lengthy road closure.

The group spent several hours in front of the airport chanting, singing, and after awhile, waited to be arrested. They protested private jet use by corporations and wealthy individuals.

Of the nearly two dozen activists, seven were arrested by Port Authority police and are facing pending charges of disorderly conduct, interference with public transportation and trespassing, a Port Authority spokesperson said.

Moonachie Avenue was blocked between Caesar Place and Romeo Street with more than a dozen police vehicles lining the street.

The group gathered just after 11 a.m. Climate activists from Sunrise, a youth-based climate justice movement, were joined by members of New York Communities for Change, Scientist Rebellion and Extinction Rebellion outside the airport's entrance. There were similar protests around the world, including ones in London, Amsterdam, Melbourne and Milan over the past two days.

The group said private jets have high carbon dioxide emissions. Teterboro is one of the busiest private airports in the country.

One man, who was later arrested, was perched atop one of two wooden tripods erected by the protesters, while some glued their hands to its base and others held signs and banners, reading "tax the rich" and "ban private jets."

"We need to address the climate crisis," said Esther Feldman, 19, one of the activists. "We need to deal with inequality by enacting policies that ensure that corporations and billionaires pay their fair share and have to pay to fix the damage they're causing the planet."

Feldman was not among those arrested Thursday.

Moonachie police officers arrived around the same time as the protesters, with several Port Authority police officers arriving soon after. Officers allowed the protests to continue until just after 1 p.m. and arrested anyone remaining after they told them to clear the road.

As they were loaded into the back of police vans, the remaining activists chanted: "We see you, we love you, we will get justice for you" from across the street.

Cars were unable to enter or exit the airport during the protest, but passengers and employees were able to pass on foot. Those coming and going from the airport appeared bemused by the event.

The road reopened following the arrests, the Port Authority spokesperson said.

Feldman and some of the other Sunrise activists in attendance Thursday were among those arrested for protesting in front of Rep. Josh Gottheimer's Wyckoff home last October. Those protesters pled guilty to borough ordinance violations, a charge similar to a traffic ticket.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Climate protesters block Teterboro Airport NJ, arrested