Protesters from Just Stop Oil, including an activist awaiting sentencing for throwing soup over a Van Gough painting, have sprayed orange paint on the floor of Heathrow Airport.

Two members of the group were said to have been sitting in Terminal 5’s departure area this morning, covering the floor in orange paint.

It comes a day after a group of activists tried to block the entrance to Gatwick Airport’s security checkpoint area by taping themselves to the floor.

The protest group, which is calling on the government to establish a “fossil fuel deal”, vowed last week to use “any means necessary” to disrupt the summer holidays.

One of the protesters is Phoebe Plummer, 22, who was released on bail this week after being found guilty of criminal damage to Vincent Van Gogh’s painting Sunflowers 2022.

She threw Heinz canned soup over the famous painting along with an accomplice.

Plummer said: “This is an international problem, so ordinary people are doing what our politicians won’t do, working together globally to end the harm and suffering caused by fossil fuels.”

Photos released by Just Stop Oil show orange paint splattered across part of the floor, half a dozen departure screens and a window inside Terminal 5.

The other Heathrow protester, Jane Touil, said: “Ordinary people need to stand up and get their governments to do the right thing because without pressure from us they won’t. I feel so angry and betrayed that politicians have allowed this to happen when they have known about climate degradation for over 50 years.”

Both protesters used fire extinguishers filled with orange paint to spray the substance around a small area of ​​the Terminal 5 departure area.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police confirmed that two arrests had been made on suspicion of criminal damage and that officers remained at the scene.

Just Stop Oil claimed both of its protesters had been “pulled to a police car” at 8.50am.

A spokesman for Heathrow Airport said: “We have worked with partners to quickly resolve a protest incident in Terminal 5 and everyone involved has been removed from the airport. The airport continues to operate as normal and passengers are traveling as planned.

“We fully agree that the aviation industry needs to reduce carbon emissions, but illegal and irresponsible protest activity is not the way forward and will not be tolerated.”

Earlier this month, airport managers received a High Court injunction banning Just Stop Oil and other environmental activists from entering the airport. It does not come with an arrest warrant, but a police spokesman confirmed.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive apps, money-saving offers and more.