Climate activists arrested after spray painting UK’s Stonehenge monument
Al Jazeera
UK police say they arrested two people ‘on suspicion of damaging’ the prehistoric monument, named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Two climate protesters were arrested for spraying orange paint on the ancient Stonehenge monument, a prehistoric UNESCO World Heritage Site in southern England, police have said.
The act by Just Stop Oil was quickly condemned by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday as a “disgraceful act of vandalism”. Labour leader Keir Starmer, his main opponent in the election next month, called the group “pathetic” and said the damage was “outrageous”.
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.
