Headline Roundup • June 19th, 2024
Climate Activists 'Just Stop Oil' Vandalize Stonehenge with Orange Paint
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Just Stop Oil, an environmental activist group, vandalized the ancient British monument, Stonehenge, on Wednesday.
Details: The activists sprayed several stones with what they claimed was “orange paint powder,” demanding that the next UK government phase out fossil fuels by 2030. Two people were arrested by Wiltshire Police on suspicion of damaging the monument. The incident occurred a day before the Summer Solstice, a day of spiritual significance that traditionally witnesses large crowds gathering at the monument.
For Context: Just Stop Oil has been known for its disruptive environmental protests, which include shutting down major roads and holding protests at cultural and sporting events.
Key Quotes: In a post on X, Just Stop Oil stated, “The orange cornflour we used will soon wash away with the rain, but the urgent need for effective government action to mitigate the catastrophic consequences of the climate and ecological crisis will not.” This post received a community note reading, “Lichen covers and protects the stones of Stonehenge. Damage to the lichen will mean that the stones are less protected from pollution in the environment.” The official Stonehenge X account confirmed the potential that the stones could be damaged, stating, “it is a criminal offence to damage the Stones … Expect a prison sentence.”
How The Media Covered It: CBS News (Lean Left bias) used Just Stop Oil’s own wording to describe their action. Reuters (Center bias) only included quotes critical of the action. Fox News (Right bias) labeled the group’s actions “superficial vandalism.” This summary was developed with the help of AllSides' AI technology.
Featured Coverage of this Story
Just Stop Oil/via REUTERS
Environmental protesters sprayed paint on Britain's Stonehenge on Wednesday, with orange marks covering some of the stones of the prehistoric megalithic structure on the eve of the summer solstice celebrations.
Two people have been arrested on suspicion of damaging the ancient monument, police said in a statement.
"This is extremely upsetting and our curators are investigating the extent of the damage," English Heritage, the charity that manages Stonehenge, said on X. Stonehenge remains open, it added.
The monument, one of Britain's most visited tourist spots, also holds spiritual significance and...
Environmental activists sprayed several of the ancient stones of Britain's iconic Stonehenge site with an orange substance Wednesday, demanding that the next U.K. government — set to be chosen in a national election on July 5 — "sign up to a legally binding treaty to phase out fossil fuels by 2030," the protest group Just Stop Oil said.
A video released by the group showed two activists running toward the prehistoric stones of the UNESCO World Heritage Site with what looked like fire extinguishers and then spraying them with what...
Just Stop Oil /TMX
A climate activism group vandalized an ancient landmark in the U.K. as part of a wider protest against fossil fuels.
Just Stop Oil, the organization behind the Wednesday incident, is demanding "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."
"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...
