Heritage sector bodies have condemned an environmental protest at Stonehenge that saw a number of sarsen stones doused in orange powder paint.
The protest by the direct action group Just Stop Oil took place on 19 June; a widely circulated video of the incident shows a member of the public attempted to step in and prevent the stones from being vandalised.
Two protesters, named by Just Stop Oil as student Niamh Lynch, 21, and Rajan Naidu, 73, have been arrested.
English Heritage, which cares for the neolithic site, said the attack had caused particular distress because many people around the world see Stonehenge as a sacred site.
It said: “English Heritage is deeply saddened by the vandalism at Stonehenge yesterday. The ancient stones are a testament to the desire of people – from prehistoric times to today – to connect with nature, the earth, the sun and the moon, as well as crucially, each other.
“We can’t understand why anyone who professes to care for the environment would attempt to harm such a monument and to distress people from all over the world, including those for whom Stonehenge holds a spiritual significance.”
A number of archaeologists and conservation experts have warned that, although the cornflour-based powder paint can be washed away, it could damage the stones due to their porous nature, as well as affecting the fragile ecosystem of the site.
English Heritage said the vandalism had left no visible damage, but had posed a risk to the rare lichens growing on the stones.
The organisation said: “Our experts have already removed the orange powder from the stones. We moved quickly due to the risk that the powder would harm the important and rare lichens growing on the stones and that if the powder came into contact with water, it would leave difficult-to-remove streaks.
“And while we are relieved that there appears to be no visible damage, the very act of removing the powder can – in itself – have a harmful impact by eroding the already fragile stone and damaging the lichens.”
The heritage body said the attack also came with a financial cost. It said: “English Heritage relies on our members, visitors and donors to help us bear the costs of cleaning up such vandalism.
“However, as a charity we would much rather be spending our limited funds – and time – on essential conservation work across the 400 castles, abbeys, houses, and stone circles in our care as well as sharing with everyone more of those sites’ stories.”
The site’s annual Summer Solstice celebrations are due to go ahead as usual from 1900 on 20 June.
Nick Merriman, the chief executive of English Heritage, said: “Stonehenge is a unique place, one that has special meaning to many of us. Surely vandalising a landmark that celebrates the changing seasons, the importance of community, and sheer human ingenuity completely contradicts the protestors’ own principles.
“Thankfully, there appears to be no visible damage but 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.
“We are looking forward to welcoming people to our Summer Solstice celebrations at Stonehenge, whether that’s in person or online, for a joyous and peaceful occasion.”
Impact on workers
The union Prospect has also condemned what it described as a “thoughtless attack by a group which seems to have no regard for the direct effect their actions will have on workers in the heritage sector”.
Prospect’s senior deputy secretary, Sue Ferns, said: “These workers often do what they do for poor pay, because they really care about preserving and protecting our national heritage. They should not be subject to actions, whatever the aim, which cause fear and which may put them in danger.
“The right to protest is important but it does not trump people’s right to safety in their workplace.”
Just Stop Oil says it will continue taking direct action “until world leaders unite to protect us”.
The group is calling for a “fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty” to phase out fossil fuels and support dependent economies, workers and communities to move away from oil, gas and coal.
It said: “The orange cornflour we used to create an eye-catching spectacle 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.”
In light of escalating protests, the police and heritage sector have been collaborating more closely to share intelligence and advice on how to protect sites without restricting public access.
Speaking to Museums Journal in May, assistant chief constable Rachel Nolan, the heritage lead at the National Police Chiefs’ Association, said the two sectors had “started sharing information better” around protests.
“I think there’s a good combination of better shared information and greater awareness in the sector and a better response in place,” said Nolan.
“We’ve been able to make sure that our national protest intelligence reporting is linked in with the sector, we’ve quite quickly bought some processes in whereby the sector can feed in, and also get information out on things that can affect them.
“That has certainly helped places to harden their targets when they need to be alert,” she said.
“There are some really simple tips like politely challenging people, that kind of thing – giving people the confidence in how they can challenge without absolutely limiting public access to what are obviously places that we want the public to come into and enjoy for the right reasons.”
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