Climate protest targets private jets at UK airport

By AFP
June 21, 2024
An activist sitting in front of a plane after spraying orange paint on private jets at Stansted Airport, northeast of London, on Jun 20, 2024. — Reuters
An activist sitting in front of a plane after spraying orange paint on private jets at Stansted Airport, northeast of London, on Jun 20, 2024. — Reuters 

LONDON: Climate activists on Thursday gained access to a UK airport and sprayed private jets with orange paint a day after Stonehenge was attacked.

Environmental protest group Just Stop Oil claimed US pop star Taylor Swift´s private jet had landed at Stansted airport “mere hours earlier”. Taylor Swift has attracted criticism over her use of private jets.

But Essex Police said her aircraft was not at the airport, northeast of London, at the time of the incident. Swift is currently on tour in the UK.

Police said they had arrested two women aged 22 and 28 on suspicion of criminal damage and interference with national infrastructure.

The pair, named by Just Stop Oil as Jennifer Kowalski, 28, and Cole Macdonald, 22, used fire extinguishers filled with orange paint to spray two private jets, according to a statement. It said they were demanding that Britain´s next government after the July 4 general election legally commits to phasing out fossil fuels by 2030.

In a post on X, Just Stop Oil added: “Jennifer and Cole cut the fence into the private airfield at Stansted where @taylorswift13´s jet is parked.