LONDON — Two environmental activists have been charged in connection with spraying orange paint powder on the Stonehenge monuments in southwest England last June, police announced Thursday.
Rajan Naidu, 73, and Niamh Lynch, 22, face charges of “destroying or damaging an ancient protected monument” and “intentionally or recklessly causing a public nuisance,” according to a statement from Wiltshire Police. They are scheduled to appear in Salisbury Magistrates’ Court on Dec. 13.
Shortly after the incident at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the activist group Just Stop Oil claimed responsibility, releasing a video showing a man identified as Naidu spraying a cloud of orange powder from a fire extinguisher onto one of Stonehenge’s iconic vertical stones. Lynch was seen spraying three additional stones before being stopped. The group said the paint was cornstarch-based and would dissolve in the rain.
English Heritage, the organization managing Stonehenge, reported that experts quickly removed the orange powder from the stones following the protest.
Stonehenge, constructed in phases beginning 5,000 years ago, remains shrouded in mystery regarding its origins and purpose. Its alignment with the summer solstice sunrise and winter solstice sunset continues to attract spiritualists, druids, and sun worshippers each year.
This protest is one of many high-profile actions by Just Stop Oil aimed at highlighting the climate crisis. The group’s disruptive tactics have included halting sporting events, targeting famous works of art, and creating traffic gridlocks. These actions have sparked widespread criticism and resulted in convictions and jail sentences for some participants.