Climate protesters arrested for spraying paint on Stonehenge
- Police say two suspects have been arrested
- Just Stop Oil says paint was cornstarch-based, will wash away in rain
- The group promised more protests as part of a summer of ‘resistance’
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(NewsNation) — Two climate protesters were arrested Wednesday for spraying paint on the Stonehenge monument in England, police said.
The latest act by Just Stop Oil was quickly condemned by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak 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.
In a statement posted on its website, Just Stop Oil promised a summer of “resistance.”
“Failure to commit to defending our communities will mean Just Stop Oil supporters, along with citizens from Austria, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands and Switzerland will join in resistance this summer, if their own Governments do not take meaningful action. Stone circles can be found in every part of Europe showing how we’ve always cooperated across vast distances — we’re building on that legacy,” it read in part.