Just Stop Oil plans summer of airport protests

Two members of Just Stop Oil attempted to target Taylor Swift's private jet on Thursday

Credit: UNPIXS

Summer holidaymakers are facing disruption this summer as Just Stop Oil has threatened to hit airports,a day after activists sprayed private jets in a botched attempt to target Taylor Swift.

Thursday’s protest at Stansted Airport saw two members of the climate activist group appearing to cut through the perimeter fence with an angle grinder.

It is understood the pair attempted to target the American singer’s jet,which flew into Stansted earlier this week ahead of her Wembley Stadium concerts,but when they could not find it they sprayed two jets at random with orange paint.

On Friday night Essex Police said Jennifer Kowalski,28,and Cole Macdonald,22,had been charged with criminal damage,aggravated trespass and interfering with national infrastructure.

A source from Just Stop Oil said this was a “prelude” to a summer of disruption.

“It’s a wake-up call for the Government that we need big,radical changes. If this incoming government doesn’t get us on war footing then we’re not going to have anywhere to fly to,” the source told The Times.

The campaign group,which is reportedly bankrolled by grants from the Getty-backed US Climate Emergency Fund,seeks to pressure the Government into halting all use of fossil fuels in the British economy by 2030.

Action ‘not focused on individuals’

He said: “We are taking action at sites of key importance to the fossil fuel economy in order to apply political pressure and highlight the need for an international legally binding treaty to end the extraction and burning of oil,gas and coal by 2030.”

When asked if holidaymakers should be looking over their shoulders at the airport for activists in orange T-shirts,the spokesman said: “I wouldn’t say so. This is not focused on individuals flying. 

“We’re not going to be talking about the ethics of people flying. People can be flying for all sorts of reasons.

“What we do as individuals means very little unless we can generate the political pressure for governments to act at a systemic level.

“We need to be having a very sensible conversation about what it is that we’re needing to do in order to address a very critical situation that we see with the climate right now.”

Just Stop Oil painted two random jets orange on Thursday after they failed to locate Taylor Swift's plane

Credit: Just Stop Oil

A spokesman for the Airport Operators Association (AOA),the trade body for UK airports,said that Just Stop Oil’s activists had broken the law by cutting the fence to get inside Stansted Airport.

A spokesman for the climate activist group said: “We’re fully aware that a chunk of what we do is illegal,that’s kind of the point.”

The AOA continued: “Actions like this in an airport setting are dangerous and risk the safety of passengers and staff.

“Instead of engaging in disruptive,counter-productive stunts,we’d call on environmental groups to work with the industry to understand and support the hard work aviation is doing to de-carbonise its activities,from using greener energy sources for airport operations to sustainable fuels for our planes.

“This will ensure the United Kingdom retains its reputation as a welcoming,friendly,accessible place for tourists and businesses,and will support the jobs,livelihoods and holidays that we all rely on.”

Essex Police later said two women were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and interference with the use of national infrastructure after orange paint was sprayed on two planes.

Earlier this week two other Just Stop Oil activists were arrested and bailed after throwing orange powder paint over Stonehenge. 

The group later claimed the paint would wash off in the rain but English Heritage expressed concern about potential damage to the 5,000-year-old monument as well as to rare lichens that grow on the stones.

JK Rowling,the Harry Potter author,later mocked the group on social media,posting: “Public opinion’s definitely moving,mostly towards the conclusion that you’re funded by Big Oil.”