Two climate activists arrested after painting Stonehenge monument orange

Two climate protesters were arrested Wednesday for spraying orange paint on the ancient Stonehenge monument in southern England, police said.

The latest act by Just Stop Oil was quickly condemned by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as a disgraceful act of vandalism.

The incident came just a day before thousands are expected to gather at the 4,500-year-old stone circle to celebrate the summer solstice the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

English Heritage, which manages the site, said it was extremely upsetting and said curators were investigating the damage. Just Stop Oil said on the social media platform X that the paint was made of cornstarch and would dissolve in the rain.

Wiltshire Police said the pair were arrested on suspicion of damaging one of the world's most famous prehistoric monuments and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Stonehenge was built on the flat lands of Salisbury Plain in stages starting 5,000 years ago, with the unique stone circle erected in the la