Just Stop Oil activists have broken into a VIP private airfield at Stansted airport and spray painted aircraft – just hours after Taylor Swift own plane is claimed to have arrived as she continues her Eras Tour
Just hours after Taylor Swift’s private jet was said to have landed, two Just Stop Oil activists entered a private VIP airfield at Stansted Airport and spray-painted the plane.
Jennifer Kowalski and Cole McDonald are said to have entered the private airfield at around 5am and attacked the plane with a fire extinguisher full of orange paint. Video footage shows the two activists breaking through a chain link fence at the edge of the airfield.
Taylor Swift is due to perform at Wembley Stadium on Friday night as part of her Eras Tour, and Just Stop Oil said they attacked the airfield just hours after the plane had arrived. “Two Just Stop Oil supporters spray-painted several private jets at the airfield where Taylor Swift’s jet landed a few hours earlier,” the environmental activists said in a statement.
“They are calling on the new UK government to commit to working with other governments to agree a fair plan to stop extracting and burning oil, gas and coal by 2030. At around 5am, Jennifer Kowalski and Cole MacDonald entered the private airfield at Stansted Airport, where Swift’s jet is currently based.
The couple painted the two private jets with fire extinguishers filled with orange paint,” said MacDonald, 22, of Brighton. “We live in two worlds: one where billionaires live in luxury and fly away in private jets, and the other where countless people are forced to endure intolerable conditions.
Meanwhile, this system, which allows the accumulation of extreme wealth by the few to the detriment of everyone else, is destroying the conditions needed to support human life in a rapidly accelerating, never-ending ‘brutal summer.’ Billionaires are not untouchable, climate change will affect every one of us.
Mr Kowalski, 28, a former sustainability manager from Dumbarton, said: “In the area of ​​sustainability, I am fundamentally unable to make the changes necessary to prevent the complete collapse of natural systems. We must take desperate measures to make our voices heard. In 2024, we need to think about what we can do every day to change the direction of our society. We need an urgent deal to stop extracting and burning oil, gas and coal by 2030.”
This came after protesters sprayed Stonehenge with orange powder paint, which was condemned by Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer. The Chancellor described it as “disgraceful vandalism” and the Labour leader slammed the organisation as “pathetic”.
Members of the public tried to intervene but were clashed with activists – named by the group as Rajan Naidu, 73, and Niamh Lynch, 21 – who were running towards the ancient monument on Wednesday. Video footage posted on social media shows two people wearing white T-shirts with the slogan “Stop the oil” walking towards the stone circle with cans and spraying orange powder.
Wiltshire Police said officers arrived at the scene and arrested the two men. A police spokesman said: “We responded to a report at around midday that two suspects had sprayed orange paint on some stones.
“Officers entered the scene and arrested the two men on suspicion of damaging an ancient monument. Our investigation is ongoing and we are working closely with English Heritage.” English Heritage said experts were assessing the “extent of the damage” to the stones.
A spokesman said: “Several stones at Stonehenge were sprinkled with orange powder. This is, of course, extremely worrying and our curators are currently assessing the extent of the damage. Stonehenge remains open to the public.”
Wiltshire Police said officers arrived at the scene and made two arrests. A police spokesman said: “We responded to a report at around midday that two suspects had sprayed orange paint on several stones.
“Officers attended the scene and arrested two people on suspicion of damaging an ancient monument. Our investigation is ongoing and we are working closely with English Heritage.” English Heritage said experts would assess the “extent of damage” to the stones. A spokesman said: “Orange dye powder was thrown onto some of the stones at Stonehenge. This is, of course, very worrying and our curators are investigating the extent of the damage. Stonehenge remains open to the public.”