Climate activists on Thursday gained access to Stansted Airport, northeast of London, and sprayed private jets with orange paint, including one belonging to pop star Taylor Swift. The protest, organized by climate group Just Stop Oil, followed an attack on Stonehenge the previous day.
The two activists, identified as Jennifer Kowalski, 28, and Cole Macdonald, 22, used fire extinguishers filled with orange paint to spray two private jets. Just Stop Oil stated that the pair breached the airfield fence and demanded that the next UK government legally commit to phasing out fossil fuels by 2030.
Essex Police confirmed the arrest of the two women on suspicion of criminal damage and interference with national infrastructure.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Just Stop Oil shared a video of one activist cutting through the fence and spraying the paint on the jets. The group emphasized their call for an emergency treaty to end fossil fuels by 2030.
Taylor Swift has previously faced criticism for her use of private jets. In 2022, she topped a list by British sustainability marketing firm Yard as the “worst private jet CO2 emission offender” among celebrities, with her jet flying 170 times and producing 8,293.54 tonnes of CO2 emissions, significantly higher than the average person’s emissions.
The Stansted protest came a day after activists from the same group sprayed an orange substance on Stonehenge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This act was condemned by political leaders and heritage organizations, and police arrested two individuals on suspicion of damaging the ancient monument.
