Three environmental activists from the Just Stop Oil group have been acquitted of causing a public nuisance after spraying Stonehenge with orange powder. Rajan Naidu, 74, Oxford University student Niamh Lynch, 23, and Luke Watson, 36, were cleared of all charges following a 10-day trial at Salisbury Crown Court. The trio had denied accusations of damaging the ancient protected monument and disrupting the public, arguing their protest against fossil fuels was a legitimate exercise of their rights to free speech and peaceful assembly.
Naidu, Lynch, and Watson admitted to using color blasters filled with cornflour, talc, and orange dye to spray the iconic stones on June 19, 2024, the day before the summer solstice when around 15,000 people were expected to gather at the site. The protesters claimed they took care to use a non-damaging powder and that their actions did not significantly interfere with others. While the cleanup cost £620, the judge ruled that the defendants' right to protest outweighed the temporary inconvenience caused.
Prosecutor Simon Jones had alleged the protest was a "blatant and clear act of vandalism" that was "carefully planned." However, the jury ultimately sided with the defendants, who argued their actions were a "peaceful protest" about a legitimate cause. Judge Paul Dugdale instructed the jury that protecting free speech and the right to protest can sometimes mean excusing unlawful behavior that would otherwise be prohibited.
Solicitor Francesca Cociani, representing the activists, said her clients were "incredibly relieved" by the verdict, which she described as an affirmation of the essential role of peaceful protest in a democratic society. Cociani criticized the public nuisance charge as an "affront" to the defendants' rights, arguing the case should never have been brought in the first place.
