Protesters Spray Stonehenge, Demanding Climate Action
Activists Call for Halt to Oil and Gas Extraction
Monuments Symbolism Highlights Urgency of Climate Crisis
Protesters from the group Just Stop Oil sprayed an orange powder onto the monoliths at Stonehenge on Wednesday, in a symbolic act to demand an end to fossil fuel extraction and use.
Several of the iconic stones - dating back to the late Neolithic period - were seen covered in the orange powder. The group's activists also planted a flag reading "Just Stop Oil" at the site.
In a statement, Just Stop Oil said the action was taken to highlight the "urgency of the climate crisis" and the need for governments to take immediate action.
"We are here today because we are tired of Big Oil's lies and greenwashing," the statement said. "We are tired of their destruction of our planet and their profiteering from the suffering of others."
The group is demanding that the incoming UK government commit to ending all new oil and gas extraction projects, and to invest in renewable energy. They also called for a citizens' assembly to make decisions on how to transition to a zero-carbon economy.
The action at Stonehenge has sparked a debate about the legitimacy of such protests, with some arguing that they damage historic monuments and alienate potential supporters.
However, the protesters argue that the urgency of the climate crisis justifies their actions, and that the orange powder used in the protest is biodegradable and will not cause any long-term damage to the stones.
The action at Stonehenge is the latest in a series of protests by Just Stop Oil, which has been targeting oil and gas facilities in the UK in recent months.
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