Just Stop Oil protesters arrested after pouring paint over Tesla robot

Two Just Stop Oil protesters have been arrested after pouring orange powdered paint over a robot at a Tesla shop in west London, the Metropolitan Police said.

Retired teacher Catherine Rennie Nash, 74, and former tax adviser Nigel Fleming, 63, climbed on to a podium display in the store in Shepherd’s Bush on Wednesday morning.

The pair then poured paint over the robot and unfurled a Just Stop Oil banner, in what they said was a protest against Tesla owner Elon Musk and billionaires “jeopardising climate science” and threatening democracy.

A Met Police spokesperson said: “Two people have been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage after police were called to a shopping centre in Ariel Way, Shepherd’s Bush, at 10am on Wednesday March 12.

“A 63-year-old man and a 74-year-old woman allegedly sprayed the front of a shop with what is believed to be powdered paint.

“Inquiries continue into the circumstances and the pair, who had been arrested at the scene, have been taken to a central London police station where they remain in custody.”

In a statement, Mr Fleming said: “Even the actuaries are saying that immediate action is required to mitigate the risks of catastrophic climate impacts occurring well before 2050.

“We’re talking crop failure and starvation driving mass migration and civil unrest, the loss of whole nations beneath the waves, our homes, livelihoods and pensions at risk.

“We don’t have time to mess around with denial and delay. We need an emergency plan to get the economy off oil and gas by 2030.”

Just Stop Oil has said it will “once again be taking action” in April to demand a plan to end the extraction and use of fossil fuels by 2030.