Climate change protesters arrested after spraying orange paint on Stonehenge monument

Two climate protesters were arrested on June 19, 2024, for spraying orange paint on the ancient Stonehenge monument in southern England, police said.

The latest act by Just Stop Oil was quickly condemned by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as a “disgraceful act of vandalism.”

The incident came just a day before thousands are expected to gather at the 4,500-year-old stone circle to celebrate the summer solstice — the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

English Heritage, which manages the site, said it was “extremely upsetting” and said curators were investigating the damage. Just Stop Oil said on the social media platform X that the paint was made of cornstarch and would dissolve in the rain.

Wiltshire Police said the pair were arrested on suspicion of damaging one of the world’s most famous prehistoric monuments and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Stonehenge was built on the flat lands of Salisbury Plain in stages starting 5,000 years ago, with the unique stone circle erected in the late Neolithic period about 2,500 B.C. Some of the stones, the so-called bluestones, are known to have come from southwest Wales, nearly 150 miles away, but the origins of others remain a mystery.

Just Stop Oil is one of many groups around Europe that have gained attention — and received a lot of blowback — for disrupting sporting events, splashing paint and food on famous works of art and interrupting traffic to draw attention to global warming.

The group said it acted in response to the Labour Party's recent election manifesto. Labour has said if it wins the election on July 4, it would not issue further licenses for oil and gas exploration. Just Stop Oil backs the moratorium but said it wasn't enough.

[notsure]

are we gonna talk about the airisols in those cans

[khbhibjhbl]

Same people that burned the library of Alexandra, pure ignorance. Is that an act of terrorism?

[kemosabe]

and out of everyone in that crowd it’s the chinese tourist lady trying to stop them 😂 how ironic

[jinsalamack]

Doesn’t sound very environmentally friendly

[sudieasher]

OMFG... that is so freaking wrong!!
Send them to jail!

[MikeJohn-hhno]

So they were just sitting around the house the night before thinking this is going to be a good idea. What do they think they are accomplishing? Sunday is going to all the sudden say oh my God we need to change all the laws because they did this. Do something constructive something worthwhile not ruining something for other people

[ElijahJohnson]

I will never understand why people do this.

[Bassslayer]

This is what this world has come to.👎👎

[Bella-xpru]

That should be illegal, this art is 5, 000 years old! Before Jesus

[wareagletommy]

Good thing I wasn’t there. Each painter would have had a story to tell their grandchildren about how they suffered permanent hearing loss while spray painting Stonehenge.

[JamesA.GilbertJr.]

They are climate activist but they are spraying aerosol paint in the atmosphere. Makes sense to me. Lol

[Kenneth-pb]

What a colossal hide..who do they think they are?

[Dookieriverjones]

Get them outta there hurry that is wrong 😮😢

[MikeJohn-hhno]

It's a really big popular movement all two of them showed up

[IvanSotelo-vcyq]

🤬what have you done? protestant you have to go to jail

[hefevito]

If they don’t make this scene in GTA 6 ion want it

[jananpatel]

Someone tell them what is inside those cans 😂😂😂😂

[marcosdovale]

Quando não tem adultos para conter as crianças dá nisso 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[dylanjohnson]

It’s a weird old man that met a “they/them” on Omegle and one weird guy to a another they comprised this masterpiece plan to destroy the joy off all that love historical monuments hahahahahaha(in a evil laugh) and then we will get grass stains on our butts and the crowns won’t know if your my day, rapest uncle, Omegle lover, or sugar daddy but they did it to perfect as you see.😂