Protesters painted part of Stonehenge in orange powder paint on the eve of the Summer Solstice. The Just Stop Oil group painted the ancient site in Wiltshire, England in an attempt to draw attention to their demand for the UK government to put an end to mining for oil, coal, and gas by 2030. Two people have been arrested on suspicion of damaging the UNESCO world heritage site.
The incident has been condemned by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as a “disgraceful act of vandalism.” English Heritage curators are investigating the extent of the damage and described the spraying of the monument as “extremely upsetting.” Just Stop Oil claims that the orange powder was cornflour and that it would wash away in the rain.
Members of the public were seen running to intervene as the campaigners ran up to the stone circle. Just Stop Oil named the two protesters as Niamh Lynch, a 21-year-old student from Oxford, and Rajan Naidu, a 73-year-old from Birmingham, in a statement.
The motivation behind the incident was to demand that the next UK government put an end to the extraction and burning of oil, gas, and coal by 2030. A spokesperson for the group stated that, “Continuing to burn coal, oil, and gas will result in the death of millions. We have to come together to defend humanity or we risk everything.” Wiltshire Police have said that they are working closely with English Heritage in their ongoing investigation.
While the site remains open to the public, the incident has caused widespread condemnation. The act has been described as disrespectful and a disregard for the site’s historical significance. As investigations continue, Stonehenge remains a symbol of British heritage and a reminder of the need to protect it for future generations
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