Just Stop Oil activists deface Charles Darwin’s gravestone at Westminster Abbey

The pair have been arrested

The pair entered Westminster Abbey at approximately 10am and used spray chalk to write 1.5 is dead on Charles Darwin's grave, in reference to Friday's announcement that the world has exceeded the ‘safe’ 1.5 degree warming limit agreed by world leaders in Paris in 2015.

According to JSO, they pair said: "2024 was the hottest year on record. We have passed the 1.5 degree threshold that was supposed to keep us safe.

"Millions are being displaced, California is on fire, and we have lost three-quarters of all wildlife since the 1970’s.

"Darwin would be turning in his grave to know we are in the midst of the sixth mass extinction. The government’s plans will take us to over 3 degrees of warming.

"This will destroy everything we love. World leaders must stop burning oil, gas and coal by 2030."

The two protestors have been named as Di Bligh, 77, and Alyson Lee, 66, who were pictured with a police officer outside the Abbey following the incident.

According to Just Stop Oil, Ms Bligh is a former CEO of Reading Council, while Ms Lee is a retired teaching assistant.

The former said: “Darwin once said - 'It is not the strongest of the species, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change, that lives within the means available and works cooperatively against common threats.'

"Last year was the hottest since modern humans evolved. If we do not work together to reign in the corporations and billionaires driving us beyond our means, humanity will not be able to adapt to what is coming.

"We are on course to lose everything, and politicians are doing nowhere near enough to prevent it. How many will we have to bury as a result of climate breakdown and who will be left to mourn them?"

Ms Lee added: "We are trying to get the Government to act on climate change. They are not doing enough."

Westminster Police said on X: "Two women have been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage at Westminster Abbey.

"Police were called at 10am to reports that the woman had been detained by security.

"They have been taken to a central London police station."

On Friday, the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) confirmed that last year was the warmest globally and the first calendar year that the average temperature exceeded 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.