LONDON — Two climate protesters were arrested Wednesday for spraying orange paint on the ancient Stonehenge monument in southern England, police said.
Just Stop Oil’s latest act was quickly condemned by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as a “disgraceful act of vandalism”.
The incident occurred just a day before thousands of people gathered 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 disturbing” and said trustees were investigating the damage. Just Stop Oil said on social media platform X that the paint was made from cornstarch and would dissolve in 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 single stone circle erected at the end of the Neolithic period, around 2,500 BC. Some of the stones, 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 across Europe that have attracted attention – and received much criticism – for disrupting sporting events, splashing paint and food on famous works of art and stopping traffic to draw attention to global warming. .
The group said it acted in response to the Labor Party’s recent election manifesto. Labor has said that if it wins the July 4 election it will no longer issue licenses for oil and gas exploration. Just Stop Oil supports the moratorium, but says it is not enough.
In a statement, the group said the Labor Party, which leads in polls and is widely expected by experts and politicians to lead the next government, needs to go further and sign a treaty to phase out fossil fuels by 2030.
“Continuing to burn coal, oil and gas will result in the deaths of millions,” the group said in a statement.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
