Having at their disposal fruits and vegetables that would feed them until the end of the week and tents to “accommodate” them, environmentalists officially opened the “Camp for Climate Action” today near the Heathrow Airport in London.

Protesters have been gathering since Sunday, pitching tents, installing solar panels and raising flags at the commandeered field near the airport, but  the camp became official only today. With a starting number of 300 activists, organizers hope to attract as many as 1,500 people to protest against the proposed addition of the third runway at the busiest airport and also against the greenhouse gases released by air travel.

The protest’s peak day is expected to be Sunday, “direct action day”, but no details were disclosed. In any case, the protesters promise not to attempt to block the airport’s runways.

John Jordan, one of the organizers, explains their request that the protesters should wear smart clothes or flight attendants’ uniforms: the uniforms will be part of a song-and-dance routine that will take place outside the terminal buildings. He also added that they won’t be used to confuse or breach the airport security.

Police officers are securing the area, some of them also entered the makeshift camp, photographing the activists. A number of almost 1,800 police officers are to be involved in securing the camp and hindering any illegal behavior.

Although Heathrow airport’s legal representatives won a court decision barring protest group Plane Stupid from the airport, other groups gained permission to enter the area, on condition that they don’t stop the airport’s activity.

A fifth terminal is due to be in use starting March 2008 and Heathrow airport is proposed to have another runway in 2020.