In an act that conjured shock and outrage, two climate activists from the group Just Stop Oil, were apprehended on Wednesday after vandalizing the venerated Stonehenge monument situated in southern England. Astonishingly, they drenched the ancient edifice in sprays of vibrant orange paint, only to be confronted and halted by two vigilant onlookers.
The ensuing outcry rumbled through Britain, reaching as high as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who branded the incident an abhorrent example of desecration. Similarly, Keir Starmer, the Labour leader and Sunak’s chief rival in the impending election, launched scathing rebukes, labeling the culprits as “pathetic” while deeming the damage inflicted as absolutely “outrageous.”
Adding a touch of dramatic irony, the occurrence unfolded a mere day shy of the summer solstice, when throngs of individuals are slated to descend upon the approximately 4,500-year-old celestial observatory to revel in the northern hemisphere’s longest day.
English Heritage, the custodian of the Stonehenge site, reacted to the disturbance with palpable sadness, and reported that the extent of the damage was currently under evaluation by curators. Just Stop Oil, meanwhile, attempted to abate the backlash by clarifying that the paint was manufactured from harmless cornstarch and would disappear with the next rain shower.
A video broadcasted by the activist organization presented Rajan Naidu, 73, cloaked beneath an eerie cloud of orange, emitted from a paint disperser resembling a fire extinguisher, aimed firmly at one of the colossal stones. As onlookers shrieked for the vandalism to cease, an individual sporting a baseball cap and raincoat sprang into action, attempting to haul Naidu away from the monument. Another brave soul in a blue shirt wrestled the paint sprayer from Naidu’s hands.
The second protestor, Niamh Lynch, 21, managed to coat three stones in the cornstarch concoction before she was apprehended by the same, hat-wearing hero.
Upon their arrest by the Wiltshire Police, the pair were expected to face charges related to damage inflicted on one of the world’s most recognized prehistoric monuments and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The sprawling Stonehenge site, originally constructed on the flat expanses of Salisbury Plain over 5,000 years ago, saw its peculiar stone circle raised during the late Neolithic period, around 2,500 B.C.
The group Just Stop Oil has surged into prominent focus for their audacious acts that have resulted in disruptions ranging from sporting events to public traffic, aiming to amplify awareness around dire global warming issues.
The stunt came in the wake of the Labour Party’s recent election manifesto that pledged to cease issuing further licenses for oil and gas exploration should they come to power in the July 4th election. Unmoved, Just Stop Oil endorsed the proposed moratorium but insisted it was insufficient.
In a statement, the group urged the Labour Party, leading the polls and forecasted to form the next government, to adopt a more ambitious approach and formally agree to phase out fossil fuels by 2030. They starkly warned, “Continuing to burn coal, oil and gas will result in the death of millions.”
