Just Stop Oil target Taylor Swift’s plane and spray paint private jets at Stansted Airport

20 June, 2024

Taylor Swift performs on stage as part of her Eras Tour in Lisbon on May 24, 2024.

Just Stop Oil have attempted to target Taylor Swift’s plane and spray paint it, in a bid to raise awareness for climate change.

The protesters filmed themselves breaking into a private airfield and spray painting a number of private jets orange. It also comes as the singer touched down in the UK for the latest leg of her mammoth ‘Eras Tour’ just hours earlier.

In footage and images of the incident, two activists appeared to use a circular saw to get through a chainlink fence protecting the private airfield at Stansted Airport on Thursday morning (June 20). They then painted two private jets by using fire extinguishers filled with orange paint, before taking photos in front of them.

“Jennifer and Cole cut the fence into the private airfield at Stansted where Taylor Swift’s jet is parked, demanding an emergency treaty to end fossil fuels by 2030,” the group shared. “We’re living in two worlds: one where billionaires live in luxury, able to fly in private jets away from the other, where unlivable conditions are being imposed on countless millions.

“Meanwhile, this system that is allowing extreme wealth to be accrued by a few, to the detriment of everyone else, is destroying the conditions necessary to support human life in a rapidly accelerating never-ending ‘cruel summer’. Billionaires are not untouchable, climate breakdown will affect every single one of us.”

Police have told The Independent that Swift’s jet wasn’t at the private airfield at the time of the incident, although flight tracking data has shown that the ‘Midnights’ singer’s Falcon 7x jet landed in Stansted at around 11pm last night.

A spokesperson for the Essex Police said that officers had moved quickly to arrest the two on suspicion of criminal damage and interference with the use or operation of national infrastructure. They also shared that those arrested were a 22-year-old woman from Brighton and a 28-year-old woman from Dumbarton.

It comes after Swift has gained increasing scrutiny for her travel in private jets, with many criticising the artist as being oblivious to the CO2 emissions released on every flight.

A further comment on the incident this morning was shared by a Stansted airport spokesman, who told The Independent: “Shortly after 5am, Essex Police arrested two protestors who had entered the private aviation area of the airfield, away from the runway and main passenger terminal.

“As a precaution, runway operations were suspended for a short period, but no flights were disrupted, and the airport and flights are operating as normal.”

Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow also spoke to the outlet, saying: “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.

Taylor Swift performs onstage during night three of "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour" in Paris
Taylor Swift performs onstage during night three of “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” in Paris. CREDIT: Kevin Mazur/TAS24/Getty Images

“We maintain a constant presence at the airport and this presence will be heightened over the summer period. We have a good working relationship with Manchester Airport Group and Stansted Airport to ensure you can go about your travels with minimal impact. We are not anti-protest but we will always take action where criminal acts take place.”

In other Taylor Swift news, the singer recently confirmed that her career-spanning show, the ‘Eras’ tour, will come to an end this December. The tour began in March 2023, and has recently crossed its 100th show. Swift performed one night in Cardiff earlier this week (June 18) – where she performed ‘I Hate It Here’ live for the first time.

Now, she is gearing up for three shows in London’s Wembley Stadium on June 21-23, before heading to Dublin on June 28 and eventually taking the tour around Europe.

Earlier today, it was also reported that TikTok had announced a new in-app experience, dedicated to fans of Taylor Swift and celebrating the massive ‘Eras Tour’.

The post Just Stop Oil target Taylor Swift’s plane and spray paint private jets at Stansted Airport appeared first on NME.