Stonehenge covered in powder paint by Just Stop Oil protesters

Parts of Stonehenge were covered with orange powder paint by protesters.

Two activists from the Just Stop Oil campaign sprayed the powder paint on the historic site near Salisbury in Wiltshire at around 12:00 noon (CET) on Wednesday.

The parade takes place one day before the start of the celebrations at the summer solstice at this 5,000 year old landmark.

Wiltshire Police confirmed that two people had been arrested on suspicion of damaging the ancient monument.

Just Stop Oil explained that the orange powder color is corn flour and that it is “washed off by the rain.”

In a statement, the group named the two protesters as Niamh Lynch, a 21-year-old student from Oxford, and Rajan Naidu, a 73-year-old from Birmingham.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned the incident as a “disgraceful act of vandalism”.

Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer said the damage was “outrageous” and described Just Stop Oil as “pathetic”.

Citizens were heard shouting “no” and seen rushing to intervene as activists ran toward the stone circle at the UNESCO World Heritage site.

A spokeswoman for English Heritage described the spray painting of the monument as “extremely disturbing” and confirmed that the site remains open to the public.

She said the incident would not affect the annual summer solstice, with celebrations planned for Thursday night.

BBC correspondent Paul Clifton, the first reporter to arrive on the scene shortly after the incident, said the three stones closest to the public path were “spattered” with the powder.

He added that many of the tourists who visited the monument were “slightly confused.”

“Stonehenge leaders and security guards are lining the path,” he said.

“I’ve heard that it might be possible to remove the stone without causing permanent damage because it’s powder paint and the weather is dry and sunny. But before anyone can form an opinion, experts need to examine the stone.”

According to Just Stop Oil, the motive behind the incident was to demand that the next British government end the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030.

A spokesman for the group said: “The continued burning of coal, oil and gas will lead to the deaths of millions of people.”

“We must come together to defend humanity, otherwise we risk everything.”

Mark Verbinnen, councillor for Amesbury East and Bulford, arrived at the scene minutes after the incident.

He said many staff on site were “shaken”, particularly one who tried to attack a protester.

Mike Pitts, archaeologist and author of the book “How to Build Stonehenge”, said the implications of the action were “potentially quite worrying”.

He said: “The monument has been fenced for decades and the surfaces of the megaliths are protected.

“They are delicate and completely covered with prehistoric markings that have yet to be fully investigated and any surface damage to the stones is of great concern.”

“A lush garden of life has grown on top of the megaliths, an extraordinary lichen garden. So this is potentially quite worrying.”

A Wiltshire Police spokesman said: “We responded to a report that two suspects had sprayed some of the stones with orange paint.”

“Our investigations are ongoing and we are working closely with English Heritage.”