Just Stop Oil target planes where Taylor Swift parked her private jet

Two activists cut through a security fence to get into the site

Author: Rob WallerPublished 20th Jun 2024
Last updated 20th Jun 2024

Two people have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage after appearing to spray orange paint over private jets at Stansted Airport, where Taylor Swift's plane had landed just hours before.

Just Stop Oil says two members entered the private airfield at Stansted airport at around 5am on Thursday and painted two private jets using fire extinguishers filled with orange paint, members said.

A statement from the group named the pair as Jennifer Kowalski, 28, a former sustainability manager from Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire, and Cole Macdonald, 22, from Brighton.

In a post on X, Just Stop Oil said: "Jennifer and Cole cut the fence into the private airfield at Stansted where @taylorswift13's jet is parked, demanding an emergency treaty to end fossil fuels by 2030."

The accompanying video showed one of the activists cutting a hole in the fence before spraying the paint over the jets.

Stansted flights unaffected

Essex Police confirmed it had made two arrests and added the airport and flights are operating as normal.

Chief superintendent Simon Anslow said: "I would like to reassure passengers and the wider public that we are well prepared and resourced to deal with incidents of this nature.

"Almost immediately after we were made aware of this incident, which took place away from the main passenger terminal, we were on the scene.

"We maintain a constant presence at the airport and this presence will be heightened over the summer period.

"We are not anti protest but we will always take action where criminal acts take place."

Police confirmed the private jet of pop star Taylor Swift, which Just Stop Oil said had landed at Stansted "mere hours before", was not at the airport.

It comes less than 24-hours a similar protest stunt at the world-famous Stonehenge site in Wiltshire.

Taylor Swift plays her first of her initial three shows at Wembley on Friday night, after bringing the tour to Edinburgh, Liverpool and Cardiff.

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