Just Stop Oil protestors pour orange paint over robot at Tesla store as they brand Elon Musk a 'fascist'

12 March 2025, 15:29

Two eco protesters have been arrested after pouring orange paint over a robot at a Tesla shop in west London.

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 hard-right Tesla owner Elon Musk and billionaires "jeopardising climate science" and threatening democracy.

Branding Musk a fascist, the protesters called on the public to "reclaim 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.

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"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."

From the scene, the protestors said: “Shut down the fascists! The government is failing to protect our democracy from fossil fuel companies and power hungry billionaires.

"I will not stand by and let the climate crisis cause global food destruction, mass starvation and the collapse of civil society.

"While the rich dream of Nazi robots and swasti-cars, what the the rest of us need is warm housing, clean affordable energy and cheap public transport.

"Don’t let billionaires decide your future. Lets reclaim democracy. Join us this Spring in Parliament Square as we demand an emergency plan to Just Stop Oil by 2030. Shut down the fascists!”

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.