Climate Activists Target Taylor Swift's Private Jet, Spray Paint Planes At London's Stansted Airport | Video

Two environmental activists on Thursday targeted private jets at London’s Stansted Airport in the UK, reportedly in response to US pop star Taylor Swift’s environmental impact.

The protest, claimed by the group Just Stop Oil, involved spraying orange paint on private jets, including one they believed to be used by Swift, who is currently touring the UK.

However, the police clarified that Swift’s jet was not present during the incident.

The US popstar has previously faced criticism for her frequent use of private jets, which some environmental advocates argue significantly contribute to carbon emissions.

In 2022, she topped a list published by British sustainability marketing firm Yard as one of the “worst private jet CO2 emission offenders” among celebrities. According to Yard, her jet flew 170 times that year, emitting a total of 8,293.54 tonnes of CO2, which they noted was 1,184.8 times more than the average person’s annual emissions.

The two women, Jennifer Kowalski, 28, and Cole Macdonald, 22, have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and interference with national infrastructure in connection with the incident. The activists reportedly used fire extinguishers filled with orange paint for their demonstration.

In a statement, Just Stop Oil stated that the action was aimed at pressuring the next UK government, following the July 4 general election, to commit to a legal phase-out of fossil fuels by 2030.

“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 statement said.

The post accompanied by a video showed one of the activist cutting a hole in the fence before spraying paint over the jets.

In the video, the duo also confirms that they have spray painted two private jets.

An airport spokesperson said that the incident occurred three miles (5 kilometers) from the main terminal, and police assured the public there was no threat.

Located 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of central London, the airfield is the city’s third busiest airport, frequently utilised by government officials and visiting world leaders, including US President Joe Biden.

Just Stop Oil is among several environmental groups across Europe that have garnered both attention and criticism for their tactics, which include disrupting sporting events, splashing paint and food on famous works of art, and interrupting traffic to raise awareness about global warming.

(With inputs from agencies)