In the UK, a group dedicated to climate activism defaced a historic site as part of a larger demonstration against fossil fuels.
The group responsible for the event on Wednesday, Just Stop Oil, is requesting that “the incoming U.K. government commit to working with other governments to agree an equitable plan to end the extraction and burning of oil, gas, and coal by 2030.”
Niamh Lynch, an Oxford student of 21 years old who took part in the action, said that, “Stonehenge at solstice is all about celebrating the natural world — but look at the state it’s in! We all have a right to live a life free from suffering, but continued burning of oil, coal and gas is leading to death and suffering on an unparalleled scale.”
She continued, “It’s time for us to think about what our civilization will leave behind – what is our legacy? Standing inert for generations works well for stones – not climate policy.”
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During the summer and winter solstices, Stonehenge, an ancient megalithic circle of vertical arches formed of stacked stones, aligns with the path of the sun.
Constructed in the Bronze Age and regarded as a significant milestone in British history, the building is legally protected and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
On social media, Just Stop Oil asserted that the orange material was composed of cornstarch and could be removed with ease.
A 73-year-old Birmingham resident named Rajan Naidu was identified as the other vandal.
“Either we end the fossil fuel era, or the fossil fuel era will end us,” Naidu stated. “Just as fifty years ago, when the world used international treaties to defuse the threats posed by nuclear weapons, today the world needs a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to phase out fossil fuels and to support dependent economies, workers and communities to move away from oil, gas and coal.”
