The campaign group Safe Landing said the injunction “certainly appeared to be timed to intimidate various community groups in opposition to airport expansion, ahead of their public consultations for plans to increase private jet flights at Farnborough by a whopping 40%”.
Jun Pang, policy and campaigns officer at the human rights group Liberty, said: “It’s worrying to see attempts to hold power to account be portrayed as anti-social behaviour.
“The use of civil orders to stifle dissent are part of a wider picture of this government’s attempts to clamp down on our ability to make our voices heard by any available route, a trend that should concern us all. We all have the right to stand up for what we believe in and must resist this government’s threats to our rights.”
Shearn, a retired management consultant, said he set up Farnborough Noise Group in 2019 following changes the airport made to its flight paths that reportedly increased noise and pollution.
He denies ever acting aggressively in meetings and accuses Riley and Farnborough Airport Ltd of refusing to answer questions from the public and, on one occasion, blocking him from entering a meeting altogether. Meetings are open to the public but at the discretion of the chair.
Farnborough Airport said it did not recognise any of the claims made by Shearn but would not go into further detail.
James Radley, who is the deputy leader of Hart District Council and has been a member of Farnborough Airport Consultative Committee for more than 15 years, said was “shocked” that police had cited Shearn’s conduct in meetings to justify its ASBI.
“[Shearn] comes along to the meetings; he sits quietly and politely and listens,” he said. “When he’s invited to make a contribution he will politely ask his questions and he accepts the decision of the chairman.
“Never have I seen any of these exchanges be anything other than very polite and what you would expect a meeting to be like. I’ve certainly not seen anything ever that would justify someone taking out an antisocial behaviour order.”
Crossley similarly told openDemocracy that “[Shearn] was never aggressive or threatening or intimidating in a meeting”.
Farnborough Airport was acquired by the Australian global financial services group Macquarie in 2019. Radley, who has been a local councillor for almost 20 years, said the airport’s change in tone since the takeover had led to tensions.
“Their attitude has been more defensive and combative, rather than actually engaging in trying to pacify people,” he said.
