Fact Check: Was Taylor Swift's private jet parked at Stansted airfield targeted by Just Stop Oil activists? Group's claims debunked

On June 20, British environmental activist group Just Stop Oil posted on their X handle that they had spray-painted Taylor Swift's private jet as a protest against the environmental pollution caused by private jets.

The police arrested two women from the group who filmed themselves breaking into the airstrip and spray-painting some private jets at the Stansted Airport in Essex. They cut through the chainlink fence, entered the private airstrip, and spray-painted the jets using orange paint dispensed from a fire extinguisher.

The group tweeted:

"JUST STOP OIL PAINT PRIVATE JETS HOURS AFTER TAYLOR SWIFT'S LANDS. 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."

However, the information in the tweet is not accurate. A simple fact-check revealed that none of the vandalized jets belonged to Taylor Swift. X's Community Notes claimed that Taylor Swift's name was used exclusively as a 'clickbait.' Additionally, police officials confirmed that the singer's jet was not present at Stansted Airfield at the time of the incident, as reported by the Independent.

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Police confirmed Taylor Swift's jet wasn't present at the airstrip during the vandalism

Opening Night of The Eras Tour (Image via Getty)

As reported by the Independent, the Essex police confirmed that Taylor Swift's jet was not present at the airstrip when the two women spray-painted the jets. However, her jet was present on the airstrip at 11 pm the night before.

Taylor Swift uses a 2009 Dassault Aviation Falcon 7x jet for her personal needs. The private aircraft's registration number is N621MM (via Flight Aware). In the video posted by Just Stop Oil on their X handle, the registration number of one private jet is visible, and it doesn't match the Grammy winner's jet's registration number.

Essex police officers stated that they reacted quickly after the incident. They arrested the two women, aged 22 and 28, from Brighton and Dumbarton, respectively, on suspicion of criminal damage and interference with the use of national infrastructure.

A Stansted Airport spokesperson 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."

He also added that no flights were disrupted because of the incident, and the airport was functioning normally shortly afterward.

Opening Night of Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour (Image via Getty)

Taylor has recently come under media scrutiny for her alleged overuse of her private jet. Many environmentalists have criticized the pop icon for not caring about carbon emissions because of her incessant flying time and the damage it does to the environment.

Additionally, Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow provided insight into the situation, stating:

"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."

Anslow further continued:

"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."

Additionally, he shared his opinion on protests, emphasizing that the cops aren't against protests as long as they do not involve criminal activity.