Two climate activists from the group Just Stop Oil were arrested in England after spraying orange paint on the historic Stonehenge monument. The demonstration was aimed at urging the United Kingdom to abandon fossil fuels by 2030.
In a statement posted on the organization’s website, a Just Stop Oil spokesperson emphasized the alleged urgency of their demands.
“The UK’s government in waiting has committed to enacting Just Stop Oil’s original demand of ‘no new oil and gas’. However, we all know this is not enough. Continuing to burn coal, oil and gas will result in the death of millions. We have to come together to defend humanity or we risk everything. That’s why Just Stop Oil is demanding that our next government sign up to a legally binding treaty to phase out fossil fuels by 2030,” said a spokesperson for Just Stop Oil,” the spokesperson said.
The activists clarified that the paint used would wash away in the rain. The incident occurred one day before the summer solstice, a time when thousands of people were expected to visit the monument.
English Heritage, the organization responsible for managing Stonehenge, addressed the incident in a post on X, stating that the site remained open after the vandalism. They described the act as “extremely upsetting” and noted that curators were assessing the extent of the damage.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned the act, labeling Just Stop Oil as “a disgrace.” Labour Party leader Keir Starmer also criticized the vandalism, calling it “outrageous” and “pathetic,” and insisted that those responsible “must face the full force of the law.”
Just Stop Oil has been involved in several high-profile disruptions and acts of vandalism, including interrupting tennis matches at Wimbledon and defacing an art exhibit at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
