Just Stop Oil protesters spray paint on News Corp’s London Bridge building

Just Stop Oil supporters have sprayed orange paint on News Corp’s headquarters in London Bridge as it blames the media organisation for “supporting” the fossil fuel economy.

The building was one of four targeted across London today, with the Home Office building, the MI5 building and the Bank of England also sprayed with paint.

The group says it is demanding that the Government halts all new oil and gas licences.

At around 8.30am today, protesters sprayed orange paint from fire extinguishers on all four buildings. The Met said six people were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.

The group said the buildings were chosen as they “represent the pillars that support and maintain the power of the fossil fuel economy – government, security, finance and media”.

News Corp is part of the Rupert Murdoch media empire which runs a variety of of publications including The Sun and The Times.

A Just Stop Oil spokesman said: “We are not prepared to stand by and watch while everything we love is destroyed, while vulnerable people go hungry and fossil fuel companies and the rich profit from our misery.

“The era of fossil fuels should be long gone, but the creeping tentacles of fossil fuel interests continue to corrupt our politics, government and the media as they have for decades.

“How else do you explain a Government ignoring sensible no-brainer policies like renewables, insulation and public transport, which would cut our energy bills and our carbon emissions, in favour of corrupt schemes to drill for uneconomic oil and gas at taxpayers’ expense?

“Well we’re done with begging. We are acting to stop new oil and gas because it is the right thing to do.

“As citizens, as parents, we have every right under British law to protect ourselves and those we love.  The Government has the power to end the disruption today by agreeing to stop new oil and gas licences and consents.”

The Met said at around 8.20am, Thames House in Millbank was sprayed with paint. Officers responded and made one arrest for criminal damage at around 8.45am.

At around 8.30am, the News UK building in London Bridge Street was sprayed with paint. Officers responded and made one arrest for criminal damage.

At around 8.40am, two people sprayed the Home Office in Marsham Street with paint. They were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage by Met officers.

All those arrested have been taken into custody at a central London police station.

City of London Police officers arrested a further two people who sprayed the Bank of England in Threadneedle Street at around 8.30am.

News UK has been contacted for comment.

Pictured top: News UK building sprayed with orange paint by Just Stop Oil protesters (Picture: Just Stop Oil)