In images that have caused global outrage, the historic ruins of Stonehenge in the United Kingdom were vandalized by a group of activists. Members of Just Stop Oil threw colored powder at the ancient stones.
Stonehenge Ruins Vandalized
This Wednesday, several of the stones that make up the Stonehenge complex were covered with powder by two activists from Just Stop Oil. According to a statement from the organization, the two protesters were Niamh Lynch, a 21-year-old student from Oxford, and Rajan Naidu, a 73-year-old man from Birmingham.
According to a BBC report, the operation took advantage of the upcoming summer solstice celebrations, which attract thousands of tourists to the monument, which is more than 5,000 years old.
Following the incident, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned it as a “shameful act of vandalism.” Meanwhile, Labour Party leader Keir Starmer called Just Stop Oil a “pathetic organization.”
Where is Stonehenge?
Stonehenge is located in southern England, near the city of Salisbury, in Wiltshire County. It is one of the world’s most famous prehistoric monuments, built in several stages, revealing key information about the life and practices of Neolithic and Bronze Age societies.
The construction of Stonehenge is impressive in terms of engineering for its time. The megaliths were transported over long distances, and the great mystery surrounding the site is its actual purpose.
It is believed that Stonehenge had astronomical functions and was aligned with the movements of the sun and moon. This alignment suggests it might have been used as a calendar to mark events like the summer and winter solstices, highlighting the importance of the upcoming date.
