[2] The group were arrested, endured a ten week trial and later prosecuted in December 2018 under the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990 and convicted of terrorism-related charges.
[6] Four protesters then arranged themselves around the front landing gear of the aircraft and locked their arms together inside double-layered pipes filled with expanding foam,[6] also displaying a banner stating “mass deportations kill”.
[9] The Stansted 15 stated that they acted to prevent human rights abuses from taking place but were accused of putting the safety of the airport and passengers at risk and causing serious disruption to international air travel.
During the trial, representatives of Amnesty International UK were observing due to the serious concern that the charges had been made to deter other protesters from taking non-violent direct action, and that the group were treated with undue harshness in relation to the severity of the 'crimes'.
[3] Following a ten week trial, a jury at Chelmsford Crown Court found all members of the group guilty of intentional disruption of services at an aerodrome, under the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990, a law passed in response to the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.