Two climate activists were arrested in England after they sprayed an orange powder on the monoliths at Stonehenge in what they said was an attempt to bring attention to the climate impact of fossil fuels. The attack on the prehistoric site came on Wednesday as the stones would draw the attention of people marking the arrival of the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere.
The organization that oversees the Stonehenge prehistoric site in England said on Thursday that it had removed the bright orange powder ahead of preparations for the important day at the site.
There appeared to be no visible damage to the stones, according to Nick Merriman, the chief executive of English Heritage, a charity that manages Stonehenge. But, he said in a statement, “that’s in no way saying there hasn’t been harm, from the very act of having to clean the stones to the distress caused to those for whom Stonehenge holds a spiritual significance.”
The powder was removed quickly out of fear that it could damage the rare lichen that grows on the ancient stones, or that exposure to water could turn the colored powder into streaks, potentially causing permanent damage, English Heritage said.
The police in Wiltshire, England, said that officers had arrested two people who used fire extinguishers to spray the orange powder at Stonehenge on Wednesday.
In a statement, Just Stop Oil, a British group that wants to prevent new oil and gas licensing, said it had “decorated” Stonehenge with powder paint and demanded that the next British government work with other governments “to end the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030.”
