Story highlights Nine protesters have been arrested, police say

Black Lives Matter UK says it is protesting environmental harm to black people

London (CNN) A group of Black Lives Matter activists whose protest temporarily shut down a London airport Tuesday have been arrested and removed from the runway, police said.

Flights were suspended at London City Airport after nine protesters locked themselves together on the runway and erected a tripod, London's Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

Black Lives Matter UK, a network of anti-racism activists, said in a statement that the action was taken to protest Britain's "environmental impact on the lives of black people locally and globally."

Black people are the first to die not the first to fly. This is why London City Airport has been #shutdown pic.twitter.com/HWvwNirerX — #BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) September 6, 2016

The police said the protesters were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass, being unlawfully airside and breaching London City Airport bylaws, and were taken into custody. The statement was issued nearly six hours after police were alerted of the protest.

London City Airport tweeted that the runway has since reopened, and it advised passengers to check with their airlines for flight information.

Police work to clear the runway of Black Lives Matter activists. Nine protesters were arrested.