'It's just a bit of orange dust on a rock': Just Stop Oil activist faces backlash after downplaying Stonehenge attack
A Just Stop Oil activist has played down how fellow eco fanatics targeted Stonehenge with powder paint, claiming it was 'a bit of orange dust on a rock'.
Environmental campaigners Rajan Naidu, 73, and Niamh Lynch, 21, ran up to the stones yesterday and attacked them as members of the public tried to intervene.
Video footage showed two people wearing white shirts with the Just Stop Oil slogan, approaching the stone circle with canisters and spraying orange powder paint.
Naidu and Lynch were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, damaging an ancient monument and deterring a person from engaging in a lawful activity. The duo were bailed today while Wiltshire Police continues to investigate.
Now, Just Stop Oil supporter Ben Larsen, 26, from the Wirral, who has previously been convicted of traffic disruption, has now been trying to justify their actions.
During an interview on Sky News, presenter Matt Barbet asked him: 'Why these tactics in particular, which for the most part amount to criminal damage?'
And Larsen responded: 'Well you can call them criminal damage if you like, it's a bit of orange dust on a rock.'
Barbet then said: 'Now come on, that's disingenuous. It's not a rock, it's an ancient monument that's a Unesco world heritage site.'
English Heritage, which manages Stonehenge, said removing the orange powder could have a 'harmful impact' by 'eroding the already fragile stone and damaging the lichens'.
One person tried to halt the protest by Just Stop Oil on the Stonehenge stones
The organisation said in a statement: 'We can't understand why anyone who professes to care for the environment would attempt to harm such a monument and to distress people from all over the world, including those for whom Stonehenge holds a spiritual significance.'
Harry Potter author JK Rowling has mocked Just Stop Oil after activists targeted Stonehenge
Another X user then replied to Rowling's post, saying: 'I don't understand why they thought this would win anybody over.'
Rowling added: 'They attacked a unique ancient monument to which everyone's hugely attached, incidentally endangering rare lichen that only grows there'.'
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak described it as a ' disgraceful act of vandalism to one of the UK's and the world's oldest and most important monuments', while Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer branded the group 'pathetic'.
In a reference to green energy entrepreneur Dale Vince, Mr Sunak added: 'Just Stop Oil should be ashamed of their activists, and they and anyone associated with them, including a certain Labour Party donor, should issue a condemnation of this shameful act immediately.'
Rajan Naidu, 73, and Niamh Lynch, 21, ran up to the stone circle at around 12pm
Mr Vince's Ecotricity firm gave Labour £1.5million according to the Electoral Commission data for the first quarter of 2024.
The green energy industrialist also reportedly gave another £1million to the Opposition party the day after the General Election was called, taking his total donations to £5million.
He has also previously donated to Just Stop Oil.
Other members of the public tried to help a women wrestle the canister off the protesters
Sir Keir said: 'The damage done to Stonehenge is outrageous. Just Stop Oil are pathetic. Those responsible must face the full force of the law.'
But Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho accused Labour of 'faux outrage' at Just Stop Oil and claimed the Opposition's net zero policy had been 'dictated by fanatics' in the environmental protest group.
Conservative minister Simon Hoare joined the chorus of criticism, saying: 'The full weight of the law is needed.'
And fellow Tory Alex Stafford said: 'It's absolutely disgusting – these mindless vandals have no appreciation for our history and heritage. All they can do is destroy rather than create.'
Rajan Naidu and Niamh Lynch were arrested on suspicion of damaging the monument
Nick Kendrick, 55, who has been a Stonehenge tour guide for more than 30 years, said: 'There are 79 different species of lichen which grow on those rocks.
These lichen are alive and help protect the stone and (they) will definitely have been harmed by this idiotic stunt.'
Today, Wiltshire Police confirmed the two people arrested had been bailed.
In a statement, the force said: 'This is to allow us additional time to work with specialists and progress our inquiries.
'A man in his 70s and a woman in her 20s were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, damaging an ancient monument and deterring a person from engaging in a lawful activity.
'It follows reports that an orange substance had been sprayed on some of the stones by two suspects. We also continue to work closely with English Heritage.'
It comes after the force said yesterday that officers had attended the scene and arrested two people.
A spokesman said yesterday: 'At around noon, we responded to a report that orange paint had been sprayed on some of the stones by two suspects.
'Officers attended the scene and arrested two people on suspicion of damaging the ancient monument. Our inquiries are ongoing, and we are working closely with English Heritage.'
English Heritage chief executive Dr Nick Merriman told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme: 'It's difficult to understand and we're deeply saddened about this vandalism, but we've been really touched by the messages of sympathy and support we've had.
'Our experts have already managed to clean the orange powder from the stones because we were really worried about what would happen if they got in contact with water.'
Dr Merriman said: 'It's vandalism to one of the world's most celebrated ancient monuments.
'We wish people would channel their protests away from cultural heritage sites, museums and galleries because we feel that doesn't actually help their cause, and causes huge upset and disruption to the operation of these important sites.'
Stones were covered in the substance before the protesters stopped and sat on the grass
English Heritage said that experts were assessing the 'extent of the damage' on the stones.
A spokeswoman said: 'Orange powdered paint has been thrown at a number of the stones at Stonehenge.
'Obviously, this is extremely upsetting and our curators are investigating the extent of the damage.'
Senior druid and pagan priest, King Arthur Pendragon, said he 'totally' disapproves of the protest and that the group's actions 'alienate any sympathy' for their cause.
Mr Pendragon, who is standing as an independent parliamentary candidate for the area, said: 'Stonehenge is a living working temple at times of celebration and pilgrimage such as the summer solstice and, as a well-known protester myself, I totally disapprove of such behaviour as demonstrated by these people who do nothing to enhance and everything to alienate any sympathy anyone has or had for their cause.'
Members of the public were seen trying to prevent the protesters by dragging them away
Just Stop Oil protesters sprayed Stonehenge with orange paint in their latest stunt yesterday
Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho said: 'Labour's faux outrage at the Stonehenge vandalism would carry a lot more weight if Just Stop Oil hadn't also thanked Labour for enacting 'their demands'.
'We must not allow Britain's energy policy to be dictated by fanatics.'
It's sad that this should happen on the eve of the summer solstice when hundreds of people visit Stonehenge to celebrate its majesty and solar alignment and for some this site has spiritual meaning.
Just Stop Oil activists use fire extinguishers to spray orange powder paint on Stonehenge
Video footage posted on social media showed two people wearing white shirts with Just Stop Oil on running up to the monoliths with canisters spraying paint
Just Stop Oil supporters desecrate Stonehenge with orange powder paint
English Heritage describes Stonehenge as perhaps the world's most famous prehistoric monument
Just Stop Oil protesters Jennifer Kowalski (left), 28, and Cole Macdonald (right), 22, after they sprayed orange paint over parked private jets at London Stansted Airport in Essex, aiming for Taylor Swift's jet, which had recently landed.
Just Stop Oil protesters spraying orange paint over private jets at Stansted Airport
Just Stop Oil protesters cut a hole in a fence before spraying orange paint at Stansted
Just Stop Oil protesters sprayed orange paint over private jets at Stansted Airport
The pair then proceed to spray paint a series of jets before sitting proudly in front of their vandalism and embracing
The group say they spray painted aircraft 'hours after Taylor Swift 's own jet arrived'
It is the latest in a series of attention seeking stunts the group has foisted on the public this summer
The Two Just Stop Oil activists, Kowalski and Macdonald, broke into a VIP private airfield at Stansted airport, hoping to spraypaint Taylor Swift's plane. The attack came less than 24 hours after Just Stop Oil spraypainted Stonehenge orange.
Macdonald (who was once a Swiftie) outside court last month for another stunt, with a Palestine flag
