Just Stop Oil activists deny criminal damage after orange paint on Tesla robot at Westfield
Two defendants appear in London court; bail granted ahead of plea and trial prep hearing as activists face charges linked to the incident
Two Just Stop Oil activists denied criminal damage at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday after pouring orange liquid latex over Elon Musk's Optimus robot at Westfield's Tesla showroom in Shepherd's Bush, London. Prosecutors said Catherine Nash, 74, and Nigel Fleming, 63, climbed onto the podium display and unfurled a Just Stop Oil banner before tipping a container of thick, opaque orange liquid onto the display robot. The incident drew attention to the activist group's ongoing campaign against fossil fuels and was the latest in a series of high-profile demonstrations.
Nash, of Castle Green Close, Westmorland and Furness, and Fleming, of Barnet, both denied criminal damage when they appeared at the court. Prosecutor Jonathan Bryan said the pair produced the orange liquid and poured it over the robot, which is designed to assist with household chores and is part of a display at the electric-car maker's showroom.
Nash and Fleming then removed their jackets to reveal Just Stop Oil T-shirts and a banner, according to the court account. Magistrate Jessica Marshall granted them bail ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing at Southwark Crown Court on October 22. Their next court date will determine whether the case proceeds to a full trial on the criminal-damage charge.
Optimus robots, including the model on display in Westfield, have been described by critics as dystopian and part of broader concerns about automation, employment, and the influence of tech giants in daily life. The hearing in London follows a separate, related case in which two other Just Stop Oil activists were found guilty of criminal damage for targeting a plane linked to Taylor Swift's private jet.
Jennifer Kowalski, 29, and Cole Macdonald, 23, breached Stansted Airport's perimeter with an angle grinder and sprayed orange paint on two aircraft before police arrived. They argued they never intended to damage the planes, but jurors found them guilty after a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court. The verdict was delivered in a speedy deliberation, with jurors taking less than two hours to reach a unanimous decision.
The court cases underscore a broader wave of climate-protest activity that has persisted as activists seek to draw attention to fossil-fuel dependence and government policy. In London, Nash and Fleming remain free on bail as they prepare for their October 22 hearing, while the aviation incident underscores the contentious and high-profile nature of recent actions by Just Stop Oil and allied groups.