Activists from the Just Stop Oil group deface Stonehenge with paint.
A video uploaded on X by Just Stop Oil depicts two of their activists vandalizing Stonehenge using fire extinguishers.
"The Just Stop Oil protestors urged the incoming government to commit to a legally binding agreement to phase out fossil fuels by 2030," the group stated on X.
The incident occurred around noon local time (7 a.m. ET) near Salisbury in southwest England, as reported by Wiltshire Police in a statement. The two offenders were apprehended by police "on suspicion of damaging the ancient monument," according to the statement.
The official Stonehenge X account expressed strong disapproval of the incident.
"Orange-tinted paint was splashed onto various stones at Stonehenge, causing significant distress. Our curators are examining the extent of the damage inflicted," the post stated. Despite this, the site remains open, as confirmed by English Heritage, which manages the site.
The two perpetrators were a 21-year-old student from Oxford and a 73-year-old man from Birmingham, as announced by Just Stop Oil in a press release.
Given the plans for people to gather at Stonehenge on Thursday to celebrate the longest day of sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere, English Heritage has released "conditions of entry" on their website.
"Stonehenge is a World Heritage Site, a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and is considered sacred by many. We expect everyone participating to show respect for it and those celebrating around it," the website stated.
In response to the incident on X, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed disdain for Just Stop Oil.
The same group garnered attention last month when two protesters shattered the protective glass covering the Magna Carta, a renowned British manuscript from the 13th century, at the British Museum in London.
Climate activists have been escalating their high-profile protests, many of which have involved destroying priceless works of art, including the Mona Lisa and Van Gogh's "Sunflowers."
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Despite the ongoing protests and vandalism incidents, English Heritage encourages people to plan their trips to Stonehenge for the summer solstice, emphasizing the importance of respect for the ancient monument.
Travelers planning to attend the summer solstice event at Stonehenge should familiarize themselves with the "conditions of entry" posted on English Heritage's website.
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