Climate activists from the group Just Stop Oil targeted Stonehenge, an ancient monument in the UK, as part of their campaign against fossil fuels.

The group is calling for the incoming government to collaborate with other nations to create a plan for ending the extraction and burning of fossil fuels 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 continued burning of oil, coal and gas is leading to death and suffering on an unparalleled scale,” said Niamh Lynch, a 21-year-old Oxford student who participated in the protest.

She added, “It’s time for us to think about what our civilization will leave behind – what is our legacy? Standing inert for generations works well for stones – not climate policy.”

Stonehenge is a renowned megalithic structure, a circle of upright stones that align with the sun’s path during solstices. Built in the Bronze Age, it’s a significant symbol of British heritage, protected by law and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Just Stop Oil stated on social media that the orange substance used was cornstarch, which would easily wash away.

The other activist involved was Rajan Naidu, a 73-year-old man from Birmingham. “Either we end the fossil fuel era, or the fossil fuel era will end us,” Naidu stated. “Just as fifty years ago, when the world used international treaties to defuse the threats posed by nuclear weapons, today the world needs a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to phase out fossil fuels and to support dependent economies, workers and communities to move away from oil, gas and coal.”

This action mirrors numerous similar protests carried out by various climate activism groups over the past few years, aiming to garner public attention through temporary or superficial acts of vandalism.