The prehistoric site of Stonehenge has been spray-painted by environmental activists

The group, known for its highly controversial works, emphasized the use of powder paint made from cornstarch. The latter “will leave soon as the rains fall but there is no urgent need for effective government action to mitigate the catastrophic consequences of the climate and environmental crisis,” he said, explaining that they were alerted at around 12:00 noon and arrested two “suspected” people. Damaging the memorial.” Just Stop Oil said the two arrested activists were Niamh Lynch, a 21-year-old student from the university city of Oxford, and Rajan Naidu, 73, from Birmingham.

“A shameful act of sabotage”

Built in stages between approximately 3000 and 2300 BC, Stonehenge is considered one of the most important prehistoric megalithic monuments in the world in terms of its size, sophisticated plan and architectural precision. The famous group is aligned with the sun's axis during the summer and winter solstices. Its stones set in mysterious circles attract thousands of people every year on June 21 – curious people, sun worshipers and new priests – at sunrise for pagan solstice festivals. Stonehenge is “the most architecturally advanced prehistoric stone circle in the world” according to UNESCO, which declared it a World Heritage Site in 1986.

The English Heritage Society, which is responsible for its management, said that the site remains open to the public, adding “an investigation is underway to determine the extent of the damage.” Archaeologist Mike Bates, author of a book about Stonehenge, told the BBC that the surface of the stones was “delicate” and “covered with prehistoric carvings that have not been fully studied” as well as fragile plant organisms such as lichen. “So it's potentially very concerning,” he said. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned the “shameful act of vandalism targeting one of the oldest and most important monuments in the United Kingdom and the world.”

A call to eliminate fossil fuels

The outgoing conservative government is confronting the actions of Just Stop Oil, which has recently vandalized works of art, disrupted sporting competitions or boycotted performances. In May, two octogenarians damaged the window protecting the Magna Carta, a text dating from 1215 that states that the king and his government are not above the law and are considered the founders of modern democracy, and is on display at the British Library in London.

In recent years, the government has tightened the law regulating the right to demonstrate in an attempt to prevent such acts, with little success. Labor Party leader Keir Starmer, the front-runner to assume the position of Prime Minister after the parliamentary elections that took place on July 4, described the “Stop Oil” campaign as “pathetic.” This former director of the Prosecutor General's Office considered it necessary to oppose it “with the full force of the law.” Just Stop Oil welcomed the fact that Labor had committed, unlike the Conservatives, not to grant new licenses for oil and gas exploitation in the UK, which has its own reserves in the North Sea. The organization said: “But we all know that this is not enough,” calling on “the next government to sign a legally binding treaty aimed at phasing out fossil fuels by 2030.”