just stop oil activists dyed stonehenge not guilty 1234759935

Three Just Stop Oil activists—Luke Watson, Rajan Naidu, and Niamh Lynch—were found not guilty of criminal damage by a Salisbury Crown Court jury on October 31, after dyeing Stonehenge bright orange with a cornflour, talcum powder, and orange dye mixture in June 2024. The defendants argued their actions were protected under freedom of speech and protest rights (Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights), and noted no lasting damage occurred. English Heritage CEO Nick Merriman acknowledged the distress caused but confirmed no visible damage, while the cleanup cost £620.