Take VAT Protest Movement Try to Take Heathrow in Protest Against Tax (ATS Citizen Journalist)

The protest movement has grown strong and larger targets are now in sight. Today, Take VAT, a spin off from UK Uncut, decided to make their voices heard with regards to Heathrow's alleged tax dodging. The protesters didn't make it inside Terminal 3, but that wasn't through want of trying. Police gave chase through car parks and terminal accesses in an attempt to thwart the demonstrators from occupying space.

This was the first Take VAT demonstration, but certainly not the last. Power to the people is on the up.

In a protest modelled on those recently seen at Oxford Street stores like Vodafone and Topshop by protest group UK Uncut, over 100 campaigners from TakeVAT and other direct action groups such as Plane Stupid ran around terminal 3 at Heathrow airport ‘confiscating items’. The campaigners were symbolically ‘confiscating’ items such as luggage trolleys and toilet roll, to highlight the fact that there is no VAT on airline tickets, the purchase of planes or on spare parts for aircraft.

Take VAT

4 or 5 people wont change anything, why not try and organise a bigger event. maybe drive a load of old banger cars to the departures drop off place and get out and deflate your tyres with a screw driver. this would be very effective although you would need donations to buy all the crappy cars. can you imagine the looks on those parking guys who normally tell everyone to hurry up.

reply to post by lewman


Actually, that's not a bad idea! Take VAT are a spin off from the UK Uncut protest group who have taken to occupying shops like Boots, Topshop and Vodafone in protest about their tax avoidance. UK Uncut have been quite successful in closing these stores down across the country as protesters stage sit-ins.

reply to post by LarryLove


peaceful protests at their most peaceful, these things can seem very funny at times but i suppose the reasons are very serious. the thought of the reactions from the teenage girl shop assistants if a load of people just camp up down the shampoo section has me in stitches.

reply to post by lewman


There was a mass sit-in at Boots the chemist the other week where all the protesters came dressed as doctors and nurses - and a few as patients - to peacefully make their point. They turned the floor of the shop into a comical hospital scene. However, this one ended with a rogue policeman deciding to use pepper spray on an individual who wouldn't move. The same policeman even managed to spray himself!

There are a number of growing protest movements in the UK at the moment and all want to do more than just march.