Climate protesters have sprayed orange powder paint on Stonehenge, prompting two arrests and widespread condemnation.
The incident occurred around noon on Wednesday when two Just Stop Oil activists targeted the ancient site near Salisbury, Wiltshire, a day before Summer Solstice celebrations.
Two Protesters Arrested
Wiltshire Police reported the arrest of two individuals on suspicion of damaging the historic monument.
Just Stop Oil identified the protesters as 21-year-old student Niamh Lynch from Oxford and 73-year-old Rajan Naidu from Birmingham.
The group claimed the orange powder paint, made from cornflour, would wash away with rain.
Incident Causes Outrage
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned the act as “disgraceful vandalism,” while Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer called it “outrageous”
Onlookers attempted to intervene as the activists approached the stone but the activists were quick, media reports said.
English Heritage CEO Nick Merriman confirmed that the powder was removed using blown air, preserving the rare lichen on the stones’ surfaces.
