By Nell Richmond-Tanner
At 9 am this morning, the protest group Just Stop Oil sprayed the windows of the famous department store with orange paint and successfully blocked traffic in Knightsbridge. Two protesters have been arrested so far.
It’s been under a week since the protest group made headlines for throwing soup at Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and the group has certainly succeeded in opening the conversation on the UK’s extraction of oil and gas resources.
Fashion destination Harrods is the latest target of the protest, stopping traffic in Knightsbridge and dousing the windows in their signature orange paint.
In a press release, the group stated that:
“Our government is criminally incompetent and morally bankrupt. They are actively seeking to accelerate fossil fuel production, which will kill millions of people, while failing to address the worst cost of living crisis this country has ever seen.”
In a video filmed outside the luxury department store, two protesters drew attention to the use of fossil fuels and their impact on the climate crisis before being brought into the building by security. Clean up has already started and the store has stated they will be open as normal today.
It is currently unclear from the group’s perspective why the fashion store was targeted, but if the Van Gogh stunt is anything to go by, the group aims to instigate conversation and bring attention to the issue. As a store that represents the pinnacle of British luxury, this act could be drawing attention to the wealth gaps in our country. Whilst some will be shopping for Christmas presents at the legendary department store, as the group highlighted in their press release, vulnerable people will be “freezing to death in their homes this winter”.
