Just Stop Oil trio cleared over Stonehenge protest

Both Niamh Lynch and Rajan Naidu sat in front of the stones in protest

Three Just Stop Oil activists who sprayed Stonehenge with orange powder have been cleared of causing a public nuisance.

Rajan Naidu, 74, Oxford University student Niamh Lynch, 23, and Luke Watson, 36, were acquitted following a 10-day trial at Salisbury Crown Court.

They had denied all charges of damaging an ancient protected monument and causing a public nuisance, after targeting Stonehenge as part of an ongoing fossil fuel protest by the direct action group.

The trio accepted taking part in the protest and cited in their defence "reasonable excuse" and their rights under Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights to freedom of speech and freedom to protest.

Mr Naidu from Birmingham, Ms Lynch from Bedford and Mr Watson from Essex, had been accused of using two colour blasters filled with cornflour, talc and an orange dye to spray the monument in a protest on 19 June 2024.

The court was told the trio targeted Stonehenge the day before last year's summer solstice where around 15,000 people were due to gather and celebrate.

Mr Watson had bought the equipment used in the attack and had borrowed his grandmother's petrol car to drive the co-accused to Stonehenge that morning.

After the attack, both Mr Naidu and Ms Lynch sat in silence in front of the stones, where they were then arrested by police.

The powder was promptly cleaned from the stones at a cost of £620.

Niamh Lynch and Rajan Naidu cleared of public nusiance on Friday, along with Luke Watson

The defendants argued that it was a "peaceful protest", that the rights of others were not "greatly interfered with", that care had been taken in choosing the type of powder to use.

There was no lasting damage to the stones and they argued that protesting about fossil fuels was a legitimate cause.

Simon Jones prosecuting alleged the protest, which was filmed by other Just Stop Oil supporters, had been "carefully planned" and it was "an act of blatant and clear vandalism".

Giving his legal directions to the jury, Judge Paul Dugdale said they had to determine whether a conviction would be a "proportionate interference" with the protestors rights and said "everyone's entitled to express their own opinion" even if we disagree.

"If individuals disagree with what our Government is doing on certain matters they are entitled to protest about the Government's actions or inactions," he said.

"There are times when protecting the right to freedom of speech and freedom to protest can mean that activity that would otherwise be unlawful would be regarded as lawful by the court to protect those rights," he added.

Three people are cleared after the Stonehenge monument was vandalised last year

After the jury, which took six hours to deliberate, returned its verdict the trio hugged each other in the dock.

Representing the protestors, solicitor Francesca Cociani, from law firm Hodge Jones & Allen, said her clients were "incredibly relieved" by the verdict.

"The public nuisance charge in this case, which argued their protest could have caused serious distress, annoyance or inconvenience to the public, was wholly inadequate and, in our view, should never have been brought, and amounted to an affront to their right to protest," she said.

"It is a relief that the jury has decided to uphold the right to peaceful protest," she added.

Ms Cociani said the right to peaceful protest was "an essential pillar of our democratic society" which "time and time again" is being "eroded".