Two members of the British environmental group 'Just Stop Oil' were arrested on Wednesday for spraying orange powder paint over England's famous Stonehenge, located in Wiltshire. A report in the Times of India said the two individuals who sprayed the paint include a 73-year-old Indian-origin man, identified as Rajan Naidu from Birmingham. The other has been identified as Niamh Lynch, a 21-year-old student from Oxford University.
The incident occurred just one day before the Summer Solstice celebrations begin at the 5,000-year-old site, BBC reported.
Wiltshire Police confirmed the arrest of two individuals suspected of damaging the ancient monument. "Our inquiries are ongoing and we are working closely with English Heritage," the police stated, referring to the organisation responsible for numerous historic sites in the country, including Stonehenge.
Just Stop Oil said the protest was aimed at demanding the incoming government — the UK is headed for polls next month — "sign up to a legally binding treaty to phase out fossil fuels by 2030". It said the powder paint was orange cornflour that would soon wash away wirh the rain. However, an X account that posts updates and news about Stonehenge noted that it "is protected by the ancient monuments act and it is a criminal offence to damage the Stones".
"There are also multiple rare lichen species growing on the stones that are also protected," Stonehenge UK posted.
The prehistoric megalith, one of the world's most famous monuments, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. UNESCO describes Stonehenge as "the most architecturally sophisticated prehistoric stone circle in the world".
UK PM Rishi Sunak denounced the act as "disgraceful vandalism", while Labour leader Keir Starmer called the incident "outrageous" and condemned Just Stop Oil as "pathetic".
Despite Devastation, Site Is Still Accessible
A spokesperson for English Heritage, the organisation managing Stonehenge, described the damage as "extremely upsetting", and said experts were assessing the extent of the damage. The site is still accessible for visitors, though some stones closest to the public path remain splattered with the powder, the Times of India report added.
The Guardian quoted a local guide, Sean Moran, as saying that the vandalism was “devastating". "I was very angry. We were having a great time and enjoying it when it happened. There’s living lichen on those stones. Biologists from around the world [come] to study it … Did they think of that?” he added.
The report also quoted King Arthur Pendragon, a prominent druid and pagan priest contesting the upcoming election as an Independent, as saying that he "totally" disagreed with the Just Stop Oil demonstration. The group's actions "alienate any sympathy" for their cause, he said.