Climate protesters turn Stonehenge orange to raise awareness about the use of fossil fuels

Video footage of a dramatic climate protest has gone viral on social media, showing two people from ‘Just Stop Oil’, who claim to be confronting fossil fuel elites, running towards the ancient monoliths of Stonehenge and destroying them cover in orange substance.

Just stop oil protesters damaging Stonehenge 😭
pic.twitter.com/HSQvfWIdNh

— Stonehenge UK (@ST0NEHENGE) June 19, 2024

According to Daily Mail, the perpetrators are a 21-year-old student from Oxford and a 73-year-old from Birmingham.

Both are now in custody for allegedly damaging the historic site.

This daring protest, which may have damaged several Neolithic stones, took place just a day before the great summer solstice celebration at Stonehenge, and provoked both anger and intrigue.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned the act as a “disgraceful act of vandalism” against one of the world’s most cherished monuments.

A spokesman for Just Stop Oil defended the move, saying: “The UK government-in-waiting has committed to our demand for ‘no new oil and gas’, but that is not enough. Burning fossil fuels threatens millions of lives. We must unite to defend humanity or we risk everything. We demand that the next government sign a legally binding treaty to phase out fossil fuels by 2030. If they don’t, Just Stop Oil supporters and citizens of Austria, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands and Switzerland will protest this summer if their governments don’t take meaningful action.”

While many are outraged by the protesters’ actions, some voiced their support.

One archaeologist commented: ‘This action at Stonehenge was incredibly well executed. It’s cornstarch that washes away in the rain, and it caught the attention of tens of thousands of people online. So much respect.”

As an archaeologist and Just Stop Oil supporter, I think this action at Stonehenge was incredibly well executed. It’s cornstarch that washes away in the rain, and it has captured the attention of tens of thousands of people online. So much respect 🧡 https://t.co/aBuDw2JUrz

— Ams (@amelia_halls) June 19, 2024

The incident has sparked widespread debate and attention, causing an uproar just as the solstice approaches.