Stonehenge, June 19, 2024, The Europe Today: Environmental protesters sprayed paint on Stonehenge on Wednesday, covering some of the ancient stones with orange powder. Footage released by the activist group Just Stop Oil showed two individuals dressed in white running towards the iconic megaliths and spraying them, while a third person attempted to intervene.
Within hours of the incident, Wiltshire Police announced that two people had been arrested in connection with the vandalism. “Officers attended the scene and arrested two people on suspicion of damaging the ancient monument,” the police statement read. “Our inquiries are ongoing, and we are working closely with English Heritage,” the public body responsible for the care of Stonehenge and numerous other historic sites in England.
Stonehenge, a prehistoric monument dating back to between 3100 BC and 1600 BC, holds significant historical and cultural value. The vandalism has sparked widespread condemnation, including from British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Just Stop Oil are a disgrace.”
Just Stop Oil is an environmental activist group focused on combating human-caused climate change. The group has been involved in various high-profile protests aimed at drawing attention to their cause.
The incident at Stonehenge has intensified the debate over the methods used by environmental activists and the balance between protest and preservation of cultural heritage.
