Hundreds of people have gathered to celebrate the summer solstice at Stonehenge, just 24 hours after Just Stop Oil defaced the historic site.
In a tradition dating back thousands of years, druids and pagans joined a colorful mix of sun worshipers to mark the longest day of the year at the ancient Neolithic site in Wiltshire.
Stonehenge is a monument built on the alignment of summer sunrise and winter sunset.
On the summer solstice, the sun rises behind the Heel Stone, the ancient entrance to the Stone Circle. The sun’s rays are then channeled into the center of the monument.
Solstices are believed to have been celebrated at Stonehenge for thousands of years; Many people travel to the ancient site from all over the world. The word solstice is derived from the Latin words sol – ‘sun’ – and sistere – ‘to stand still’.
Hundreds of visitors were seen walking towards Stonehenge as they enjoyed a stunning sunset at the stone circle. One couple even got married to commemorate the special evening and sealed the moment with a kiss as the crowd applauded.
Revelers enjoy the summer solstice celebration at Stonehenge as the sun sets beneath the stones.
Hundreds of sun worshipers enjoyed a pleasant evening at Stonehenge to commemorate the solstice
Hundreds of people gather inside the stones, including families with small children on their shoulders.
In a tradition dating back thousands of years, druids and pagans joined a colorful mix of sun worshipers.
This year’s solstice comes just 24 hours after Just Stop Oil brazenly desecrated the historic site.
Crowds greeted the moment the sun set and many will wait for the sun to rise again.
The official solstice marks the beginning of astronomical summer, and this year it fell on June 20. It will bring longer days and brighter evenings for all of us.
This year’s solstice at Stonehenge comes after the historic site was desecrated by Just Stop Oil eco-protesters with orange cornmeal on Wednesday.
A 73-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman were released on bail yesterday after being arrested a day earlier on suspicion of criminal damage, damaging an ancient monument and dissuading a person from engaging in lawful activity.
Just Stop Oil sparked a huge backlash after posting footage of the eco-clowns shooting orange with a fire extinguisher at one of the upright stones.
People gathered at the scene could be heard shouting “stop” and one person intervened, ran towards serial eco-activist Rajan Naidu and grabbed his arm. As the person struggled to get him away from the monument, another man joined the fight and struggled to free the paint can.
The second protester, identified as Niamh Lynch, 21, a student at Oxford University, managed to throw three stones before she was stopped.
Just Stop Oil said the paint was made from cornstarch and would dissolve in rain.
Workers cleaned the stones and the roughly 4,500-year-old monument was left visibly intact, Nick Merriman, executive director of English Heritage, said yesterday.
A woman puts her hand on ancient rocks Thursday afternoon
Revelers gather at Stonehenge, Wiltshire, the night before the summer solstice.
Thousands of people around the world usually gather at Stonehenge for the solstice
A woman takes a photo sitting on a friend’s shoulders at Stonehenge.
Walter Ross marries Laura Cummings as the sun sets on Stonehenge
The married couple kisses while others applaud and take photos.
Midsummer celebration at Stonehenge as the sun sets
Revelers watch the sunset at Stonehenge on Thursday night
People gather at sunset at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, as they wait to welcome the summer solstice.
On the solstice, the sun rises behind the entrance to the stone circle and the rays of light are channeled into the center of the monument.
A woman raises her arms as the sun sets at Stonehenge.
“It is difficult to understand and we are deeply saddened,” Merriman told BBC Radio 4. “It is vandalism against one of the most famous ancient monuments in the world.”
Merriman said experts cleaned the orange powder from the stones because they were concerned about how it might react with water.
The Stonehenge demonstration was quickly condemned by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who called it a “shameful act of vandalism.”
His main opponent in next month’s election, Labor leader Keir Starmer, branded the group “pathetic” and said the damage was “shocking”.
Just Stop Oil sparked even more anger when one activist downplayed the stunt, claiming it was “a little orange dust on a rock.”
When the sun set, the moon was clearly visible.
People gather during sunset at Stonehenge in Wiltshire
Visitors take a photo as they walk towards the stones of Stonehenge.
Hundreds of sun worshipers walk together to Stonehenge
Just Stop Oil supporter Ben Larsen, 26, from Wirral, who had already been convicted of disrupting traffic, attempted to justify his actions.
During an interview on Sky News, presenter Matt Barbet asked him: “Why these particular tactics, which for the most part amount to criminal damage?”
And Larsen replied: “Well, you can call it criminal damage if you want, it’s a bit of orange dust on a rock that has withstood 5,000 years of British weather.”
Barbet then said: “Come on, that’s false.” It is not a rock, it is an ancient monument that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
But Larsen responded: “It’s a beautiful ancient monument, but this is orange dust.” It’s orange dust on stone. All we have to do is wait for it to rain and this will all go away.
‘And these have been the wettest 18 months on record. So we won’t even have to wait long. It is not wise to obsess over tactics.
The group struck again on Friday when it took credit for spray-painting private planes at Stansted Airport.
Jennifer Kowalski, 28, and Cole Macdonald, 22, were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage after entering the airfield and damaging private planes.
Just Stop Oil said pop star Taylor Swift’s plane had landed in Stansted just hours earlier, but MailOnline can confirm her plane was not one of the two attacked.
