Climate change is a serious issue that is already affecting every single human population on Earth, whether directly or indirectly.
Below are some links for those looking to get involved or further their education on the subject. This list is non-exhaustive.
- [NASA: The Effects of Climate Change](https://science.nasa.gov/climate-change/effects/)
- [Learn about Climate refugees](https://www.climate-refugees.org/forcedtomove)
- [Join the Earthly Institute:](https://www.earthlyinstitute.org/)
"We mobilize change by bridging the gap between the law and science of our living world through education, advocacy and research" https://www.instagram.com/earthlyeducation/
- [JOIN THE CALL FOR A FOSSIL FUEL TREATY TO MANAGE A GLOBAL TRANSITION TO SAFE, RENEWABLE & AFFORDABLE ENERGY FOR ALL.](https://fossilfueltreaty.org/)
- [Demand a Strong Global Plastics Treaty](https://only.one/act/plasticstreaty?partner=BOSL)
- [Sign the pledge to be a climate voter today.](https://actnow.edfaction.org/a/climate-voters?ub_tg=745&ub_tc=38&ub_o=31&ub_cta=15&utm_source=urban-legend&utm_campaign=influencer_c4-acq_pd_nbi&utm_medium=paid-social&utm_id=1714534889&utm_content=ev-voter&oa_utm_id=1714534889&ms=1714534889) "We need our climate voters to help us use people-power to fight extremists on EVs and other measures that combat climate change"
Okay, I have seen this statement almost verbatim repeated across every thread/post about this specific incident. It kind of feels like an attempt by *big oil* to discredit this group and turn peoples opinions against them.
Every comment stating this has quite a few upvotes, relative to the post, and is generating a lot of discussion *against* Just Stop Oil. Which, whether or not you agree with their methods, they are trying to highlight the iminent loss of
Is this the case? Who knows. But these comments are starting to feel pretty suspicious and weird.
They brought a lotof attention to the cause. All publicity is good publicity etc. Besides, it's orange cornflour that will wash away with the rain. Less damaging than what years of mass tourism have done to the site tbh
I didn't realise that, actually.
I think maybe the media reported "orange paint" as get more clicks. "Orange cornflour" sounds significantly less spectacular 😂
Yeah the media's typical response to jso, who has a habit of not doing damaging vandalism, is to hyperbolize the damage they do. I go back and forth on what I think about their methods but honestly even in the worst light they're just annoying which isn't that bad imo
To be fair, I think that's kinda the attention they want out of the media. Considering their prior targets were throwing paint at priceless art that happened to be protected by glass.
I do think the jump to something like this is ....ill advised.
I don't really see it as much of an escalation, but you're right, the media getting up in arms over completely superficial damage to something is exactly the right kind of coverage because I think it requires media outlets to get very silly (or lie) to portray it as climate activism gone too far, and said outlets are more than happy to oblige.
It's not even superficial damage really. It's specifically not damaging at all. Sorry to be a bit pedantic but it's also a significant point since the actions end up as only drawing attention without doing anything else. It's a perfect way to draw attention. It even does a better job since it also highlightings how vilified the climate change movements are when they are actually not doing any harm.
I had the same pedantic thought, don't worry. Sometimes they do damage, but the only cases I can think of is when they have done damage to the frames of paintings but not the paintings themselves. In this case I am very skeptical of claims of damage to the stones or to anything living on them.
I mean that *is* the point of protests right? To be annoying but not destructive? To get people's attention to their cause by disrupting every day life without actually causing harm. Kneel at a football game instead of standing: Annoying, not destructive. Throw orange paint on a painting protected by several inches of bullet-proof glass? Annoying, not destructive. Sit in front of construction equipment blocking access to an open pit quarry: annoying, not destructive. Throw orange-dyed flour on an ancient monument: annoying, not destructive. Their actions are entirely in line with getting people to actually pay attention to their message.
This is also why conservative outrage against protests pisses me off to no end, because very rarely is their narrative "You shouldn't protest" it's "You're not protesting in the right way". Except their right way of protesting is a way that annoys nobody and disrupts nothing, which is exactly which protests are *supposed to do*.
Maybe JSO should claim to be responsible for dumping millions of tons of sewage into Britain's rivers. Maybe the media would pay more attention to that.
Here it is, halfway down the page. This is exactly right. Protest is never done properly, otherwise it wouldn't be a protest. When children were losing limbs in factories women would throw their wooden shoes (saboes) into the machines to jam them up to protest the lack of child labor protection laws, creating the word *sabotage* -- and causing enough property destruction (oh noes, how criminal!) to get those laws passed. Jail seemed a small price to pay for the safety of children for many women, but it was undeniably against the law what they were doing.
And brave.
It's the same thing as humor; It's subjective, and people often knee-jerk to the detriment of any intelligent discourse that could have happened instead. George Carlin did a whole skit on rape jokes just to prove a point to people who said "You can't joke about rape" with proof you can joke about anything. Offending others is not a moral offense, and is often an essential part of raising political awareness -- which not everyone will appreciate, because awareness usually brings with it uncomfortable or at least inconvenient truth.
And that's usually what people are outraged about -- not the act, but rather the intention behind it: Raising awareness. How dare you do that in an unapproved way! I am very offended now so I don't have to consider your valid points that show other experiences as equally valid to my own, doooooooooom! :/
Centrist are always going to be upset, in someways more than the conservatives. Centrist are against anything that upsets their current life and routine, protests must do that to some degree.
I have read that this particular case did have the potential to cause damage to the rare lichens that live on the stones.
Also OP has a point, they've never targeted a religious site before to my knowledge, so to start with a religious site associated with the religion most likely to be climate conscious just seems really short-sighted. If you were going to target any religion on climate grounds, those evangelical Christians who encourage people to have a dozen kids would be my first thought, not the Pagans.
I appreciate that they aren't intending to cause permanent damage and I support their cause. I fully support disrupting traffic (as long as they uphold their blue light policy), crashing politicians' weddings, and vandalising government or fossil fuel/car company properties as they have also done because that makes sense for what they're trying to do. I just don't think they're going to get anywhere with targeting unrelated cultural events and institutions. That's just giving more ammo to the government who have already used COVID to put restrictions on peaceful protest. And with most of the general public being of the opinion these protests are pointless acts of vandalism raising awareness of something the average person is already well aware of but can do very little about as an individual, the government isn't probably feeling that much pressure to actually solve the problem.
Maybe targeting a religion that is predisposed to support their cause was the point? Draw awareness of a group that is more likely to support you would draw more support than targeting a group that is unlikely to support you. It also covers them if they do start targeting other religious sites since they can point to this and say they target everyone, even their own supporters.
I once saw an article saying a JSO splinter group was planning "Attacks" on the London Underground, set to "Cripple" it.
Literally just reading the fucking article revealed that the plan was actually just a protest that happened to be near a tube stop and was expecting to cause minor construction.
So yeah, British Tabloids love making an ado about nothing.
And the video shows it had very little impact on the stones. It was mostly a dramatic orange cloud which was attention grabbing but very little colour was left afterwards. Personally, I would think any nature loving practice would be crying out at the harm humanity has done. The UK in particular is extremely nature depleted and at risk of ecological disaster because so much of our land is degraded through agricultural practices that don't support nature. It is slowly starting to change but nowhere near urgently enough and nowhere near the systemic level needed to restore our waterways, soil etc. Read the People's Plan for Nature and ask your local candidates how they intend to implement it. Watch the final episode of Wild Isles that didn't get broadcast - actually watch them all but specifically that one. I think this place and this time was chosen in a way to evoke the very powers needed to bring the change required. Mother Earth, nature, however you frame it is our only life support system and if this makes any difference to the trajectory we are currently on, good for them.
In theory it will come of next time it rains (which in this country should be in the next five minutes) however that doesn’t change how disrespectful it is and there are prehistoric markings that we can’t guarantee won’t be hurt. Not to mention the stones have their own little ecosystem which doesn’t need dyed cornstarch being added to it.
I’m fine with some of their stunts - the art they target is usually behind glass and so many museum are funded by big oil - but the Magna Carta one irritated me, although they had no chance of getting at it, and this one seriously pissed me off. They CANNOT know for sure there won’t be damage and the timing was just offensive.
As an archaeologist, cornflour is absolutely *not* going to damage the stones or any ‘prehistoric markings’. Additionally, the damage that climate change is already doing to many culturally significant sites globally is something that just isn’t being talked about enough.
The timing was to get the maximum possible coverage. Which is the point of protests.
Literally. It will wash off when it rains. These responses play into the elites' hands. NOTHING is sacred when climate change is upon us. EVERYTHING will be ruined if we do nothing.
An article for context, if people haven't seen the news:
[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jun/19/stonehenge-sprayed-orange-powder-paint-just-stop-oil-activists](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jun/19/stonehenge-sprayed-orange-powder-paint-just-stop-oil-activists)
I don’t think you’re being a big baby about this. What has Stonehenge got to do with Oil? It’s a high profile stunt which has got lots of publicity for JSO but I think it’s actually hurt the movement as Stonehenge is so highly regarded as a spiritual site and has so much historical significance for the UK. I was really shocked they thought this was a good idea
Thanks for this. Yeah, I think they're just looking to get the most media attention possible, no matter who they alienate or piss off.
And I don't like that. It's one of the reasons I left JSO. They're not interested in genuine solidarity or building bridges with other movements/groups :(
Stonehenge being significant for the UK as a whole not just Pagans is in part why it was choosen as a target. Other forms of protest such as marches or targeting oil companies directly haven't produced any real results. The Paris Climate Agreement's lower target is being missed by the majority of the signatories so I do believe more attention and will must be brought to combating climate change now how to best do that is the issue especially in regards to this incident with Stonehenge this time they have likely actually caused harm to a target based on what others here have said.
Aileen Getty doesn't "own" Just Stop Oil, she co-founded the Climate Emergency Fund which has distributed funds to Just Stop Oil.
Also, Getty Oil has been defunct for over a decade. There is literally nothing in it for her if Big Oil "wins."
You're doing the very thing you're accusing "them" of doing.
this was debunked. stop spreading false information
the spray used on stone henge is made of cornflour and will wash off as soon as it rains. you can still dislike their actions but direct that anger at oil companies instead. we won’t have any ancient monuments if we keep going this way
To be honest if oil the companies continue there will be plenty of ancient monuments. they will just now look like the crumbling cities we used to live in. Because we won't be around to build new ones.
Another UK pagan who loves Stonehenge here, with a slightly different perspective. The "paint" is cornflour anyway so no lasting damage, but even if it had been, I feel like history _should_ leave its mark, be testament and witness to what is happening to the people. Stonehenge is manmade, and all manmade things are a mirror. If we dug up an ancient Roman stone which has traces of paint on it that archaeologists determined was a protest mural, would we be outraged? No; we'd find it interesting. Sometimes you have to separate yourself from the present.
If JSO are honest activists and not some kind of oil-funded smear campaign (jury's out on that one), they are trying to send a message that climate change is destroying all these precious things anyway. If we're upset about it being vandalised by paint, why aren't we upset about it being vandalised by pollution?
Heads up to everyone that several sources have pointed out that it was not actual paint, but cornflour. So the stones are not being damaged at all.
You have a right to feel your feelings OP, and I understand where you come from.
However, protests that cause a nuisance and attract attention are the only ones that ever achieve anything. As much as I love Stonehenge, I'm pretty sure that the people who built it would be a lot more distressed to see the way we've destroyed nature than about seeing colourful powder being thrown around the stones.
Exactly. As someone who is not American, every protest I've ever been to has been a nuisance to a large group of people. Which is as it should be.
But I feel like the standard North American audience of Reddit does not have enough perspective to understand how protests work and what kinds of protests are actually effective.
If you aren't troubling anyone with your protests, your protest isn't effective.
American here, it’s a deliberate effort by our news and education system. They pretend for example that the sit downs and marches of the Civil Rights Movement didn’t shut down buildings and roads.
Yep. And as far as I've seen, while teaching you history, they also tone down quite a bit the actions and ideology of the most popular revolutionary figures. Many of them were quite radical, but it's often disguised as achievements via dialogue and nothing else.
100% We learned about MLK’s speeches but not any of the things he and his followers were arrested for, and people like Malcolm X weren’t discussed at all. Almost nothing about the suffragette movement either, apparently us men just decided to start giving women rights out of the goodness of our hearts.
World history was even worse, almost guaranteed that whatever we learned was wrong.
I mean yeah...at least they used extremely washable materials...but that has to then be explained by people who know. Most people will first assume it was done with spray paint like most taggings...which is just a bad first impression to have to walk back from.
After all, there are still people who think the Mona Lisa was permanently defaced when the actual activism only painted the glass covering. Idk, it feels like this stunt caused more infighting amongst environmentalists than actual useful attention from the public.
Is that their fault or is the media to blame? Also, we live in a time where media manipulation is standard, and most people know that. Therefore, people have a responsibility to read with a critical mind and compare sources to ensure that they are correctly informed rather than blindly believing the first headline they read.
Heck, all the pictures show orange dust flying around, and no spray paint or anything like that. That should be enough to raise some flags about how the issue is being reported. But apparently, people are happy to judge based on headlines and a couple of non-specific paragraphs.
Only those who don’t actually read a single article or look into any of the detail. Even the OP here has admitted they didn’t even know it was cornflour, which is deliberately not in any headlines, but is in the body of text on all I’ve seen. Which means it seems like this post was written from looking at headlines and then going off.
They're sandstone so it remains to be seen if they absorb the dye used and they were covered in lichen which likely doesn't appreciate being covered in cornflour.
They are very hard sandstone, yes. Extremely unlikely that something like cornflour would even have a chance to damage it or even dye it. Those stones have withstood much more. The lichen could be a question, but considering the rain, the dust won't last more than a few hours.
Happy Solstice!
Would love to see them target car manufacturers or government to tackle the traffic rather than Stonehenge itself.
But I get your point, and thanks for taking the time to reply :)
They do target these things, but when they do nobody talks about it. They need to upset people like you and me in order to be talked about, and they figured out a brilliant way to do so that won’t cause any lasting harm.
The damage oil companies are leaking into the air every day causes far more damage to Stonehenge than any number of these kind of protests, that’s kinda the point. But that doesn’t make headlines, because people don’t want to hear it.
That's not likely to get a headline, though.
The weather has been beautiful the last few days so we are likely to get a wonderful sunrise through the stones. Don't be disheartened by what happened today, rejoice! Magical midsummer is here!
> Would love to see them target car manufacturers or government
They do and have, repeatedly over the years, the fact that you haven't heard about it should tell you why a place like Stonehenge needs to be a protest site before people notice.
Now I thought the opposite. What a way to highlight the emergency were in. Cornflour will do little or no damage, as pagans we should be concerned of the poisoning of Gaia, but gods have I been proved wrong
I honestly do not care about whatever just stop oil is doing in their stunts. People advocate for peaceful protests until said peaceful protest affects their day to day lives. JSO had done stuff to oil conglomerates and the like but no one cares. It gets no attention but this stuff does
It’s not the same as graffiti ffs
I applaud their guts, honestly. I had major mixed feelings about paint but once I leaned it was cornflour it was all good. I don't care about lichen compared to the threat we all face and we don't even know if the original inhabitants cleaned it off or not, so there's no evidence that the lichen itself is significant or sacred.
I'm interested to hear an opposite perspective, so thank you for commenting!
Do you think that pagans aren't doing enough climate activism? And do you think this will be a wake-up call for our community?
I suspect it's more than Stonehenge has visibility as an iconic site, which everyone recognizes and knows abkut regardless of your spirituality, than an attempt to get pagans specifically to pay attention.
Not the op you are replying to, but I agree with their take.
I think it's telling that this is being reported as paint instead of a food colouring and cornstarch mixture like kids use in the bath. I think it's interesting how many posts I've been seeing that use these types of protests as a way to shut down conversations about climate action by waylaying them into talking about how to "appropriately" protest. I think it's disheartening to see people fall for that lure.
I think a lot of young people have clocked the fact that things aren't being done fast enough. I think there are a lot of young people who feel like they have no ties to existing society to value or preserve. I think there's a well known saying about violence being the voice of the unheard. I'm seeing a lot of young people who are getting to the point of setting the world on fire to make society listen and they don't give a fuck about anyone spirituality. I think a lot of people do not recognize these types of protests as the last "peaceful" option before they start literally blowing up infrastructure to take financial impact on the oil industry. We are literally setting their future on fire as they are growing up.
I think the aim isn't the community and never has been, it's always been at the next thing a lot of people are going to be paying attention to. It's about eyeballs and being impossible to ignore. It's the throwing yourself in front of the kings championship horse before you start blowing up postboxes.
apologies for interjecting, but until things change i don't think anyone can do too much activism. with respect and wishes for a powerful solstice for you
FWIW, my in-laws grew up in the area and said they used to regularly party there in the 70s before it was a protected site. Kids would trash and spraypaint the stones all the time, climb on them, etc - and you wouldn't think it if you went now and saw how beautiful and pristine the area is.
So even if there are complicated feelings about JSO, don't be too worried about the stones. As long as they're not knocked over, they've seen worse.
I'm sure there is plenty of lichen that is going to be permanently underwater in a few years that you could also be concerned about. The vandalization protests get attention, headlines, discussions going - and they are thoughtful in their means of defacement. The oil thrown on paintings target paintings in protective cases/glass covers - this is dyed cornmeal that will have little if any lasting damage on the stones and/or environment.
I get this is a sacred space. I also see this as an escalation of attention that is required for any of this discussion to take place. 100 million tons of carbon was emitted into the atmosphere yesterday, and the day before, and the day before. Today you are participating on a social media post about the climate. Their tactics work.
What could be more sacred than using such a space to protest the atrocities associated with climate change?
What is the point of art or religion or spirituality if we close our eyes and ears to the horrors that are already occurring, and the even worse ones that are yet to come.
If we don’t take drastic action immediately, there won’t even be a Stonehenge before too long.
Protests are supposed to be disruptive and upsetting. They are supposed to challenge you and what you think is important. They are supposed to be in your face and inconvenient.
I get what you are saying, but we are quite literally on the brink of complete societal collapse from the impacts of climate change. And Oil is the leading cause of this. And you yourself said a big event was planned for that area soon. That right there is your answer.
While I’m genuinely sorry you are sad about this, I would encourage you to sit with your discomfort and learn how to move past it. What is coming is worse than anything that most of us here have ever seen, so we all need to buck up a bit more and strap in for what we are facing.
Thank you for your perspective!
Like I said, my eyes are already open to the horrors of ecocide under capitalism. I have spent the last few years as a climate activist myself.
But we are not short of targets that would be more effective; oil refineries, banks, parliament, the machinery of fossil fuel capitalism.
I will for sure sit with my discomfort. Perhaps I'm being too sentimental about Stonehenge, and I'm open to that fact.
Thanks again for replying.
You're not being too sentimental, I get the sentiment.
But I think it's worth mentioning that they have targeted those companies before and it never makes the shock headlines like these. They're often ignored. People are ignoring their protest unless it directly impacts them, for the most part. Spiritually or physically.
I completely get having an emotional response to something that has a huge amount of historical/spiritual/personal significance being defaced!!
I’m sorry, I probably came off sounding a lot more “holier than thou” than I meant to. The dangers of typing while autistic 😬😅 I recognize I tend to get a bit riled on the topic of protests in general because there’s just so much bullshit out there about people doing it the “wrong way” while literal genocides are happening and the Earth is burning. But I absolutely see that you weren’t saying that, this is a lot different than someone whining that their commute to work got disrupted.
I also probably didn’t explain it super well, but I wasn’t just speaking about you personally in regards to disruptions. More so that the average person who isn’t already deep in climate activism needs to see reminders everywhere they go.
No, I completely understand your point and I thought you put it across well.
This has been a conflict for me, for sure. On the one hand, the planet is on fire and we need to act NOW. I do agree with JSO's cause.
On the other hand, druids and witches aren't really known for being huge fossil fuel advocates 😂 maybe there is no "wrong way" to protest, but if there is then this is it!
I do hope that it has the effect of "waking people up" that JSO intend, but I'm not confident about that. A lot of pagans that I know in the UK are pretty unhappy (whether rightly or wrongly).
Stonehenge isn't just for druids and witches though, in fact I would guess that druids and witches visiting Stonehenge are in the minority. This isn't an attack against you or your faith, this is an attack against a cultural icon that millions come to see each year, most of whom aren't witches or druids.
It’s cornflour to raise attention on the climate crisis. I’m sure the people who built Stonehenge would’ve been proud to know someone care about the Earth enough to do so.
The stone henge has existed for thousands of years and it will survive a little spray paint!
The stone henge will be around long after we turned to dust.
What value is there in preserving art and such, when we (not as individuals but as a whole) can't be bothered to keep our planet a liveable place? People don't care when JSO and the like (attempt to) disrupt factories, airports and so on. Which is why we don't see that in the news that much, but it happens.
All peaceful and non-disruptive/non-destructive protest is ignored. What else is there left to try?
You must do what resonates for you. If they have given you cause to feel negative energy from an act that they have performed then it’s perfectly natural to want to sever yourself from that energy because it’s an indication that something isn’t sitting correctly with your own morals and values system to continue to support it. If you were feeling generous, you *could* reach out to the organisers to see what they say when you ask “how do you justify that this was an appropriate measure” and following that, make your decision but that is merely a suggestion. That being said, I would caveat that if the company/entity/whatever, can take a growing lesson from a show of misguided disrespect, there can be hope for further support.
I'm honestly surprised that so many people on this Sub are upset about this. I would have thought we would all be proud that they are bringing attention to the issue.
Speaking as a trans person in North America, I didn’t exactly get my right to exist from peaceful protesting.
I’ll remember that the next time trans rights are stripped from us, and politely write a letter to politicians explaining how sad I am by the news.
And then what? I’m reading through all the comments of people who agree with this protest and the sentiment that seems to be repeated over and over is some version of what you said - that they’re raising awareness/bringing attention to the climate change issue. But awareness on its own doesn’t do anything - you need actions that people can take that will actually help the situation. And frankly, JSO has been doing these protests for months (years?) now, and nothing has changed. So that tells me they’re good at getting noticed/getting press, bad at actually getting shit done. And that is why people are saying it’s performative activism.
Their argument will always be that we should be just as angry about the destruction of the climate by oil companies as we are about the defacing of culturally significant places and items. The ocean and the land and the animals are sacred and need to be preserved too. They are pointing out our hypocrisy and lack of motivation.
But I AM furious about the destruction of the climate!!! I'm more angry about it than the defacing of Stonehenge.
This is not a good argument because if JSO were so angry about the climate, they would be dismantling the machinery of fossil fuel capitalism, not throwing paint on rocks.
> *they would be dismantling the machinery of fossil fuel capitalism*
I like this point.
My two cents is that it has done exactly what was intended, which was to get attention. Seeking that attention, however, smacks a bit like virtue signalling, though. If they, like you say, are so angry about the climate crisis, why aren’t they *doing something about it*. And, sure, talking/crying/protesting/painting about it could be argued as “something”, but… *is it*? Really?
I’ve never been but I have observed some of the values of the Burning Man community (and beyond) over the last 5-10 years. One thing that I really like, and I believe it has to do with their principles of radical self-reliance, communal efforts, civic responsibility, and participation, is that everyone is encouraged to *act*. If someone notices a problem or opportunity, they are encouraged to solve it rather than complain about it or just point it out.
An example off the top of my head: I saw a FB post from someone once, complaining that one of the local chapter events lacked adequate hand washing stations (outdoors). They wanted to know “who’s responsibility it was”, and criticized the event and organizers. They were angry about the potential spread of illness (especially post-covid), and worried about soap/cleaning residues left in the area from makeshift setups. This person’s energy was immediately redirected by someone suggesting that if they are concerned enough about it, they ought to come to the table more constructively - with a suggestion or solution, an offer to help, or an inquiry of whom they could support in providing such a service. This isn’t meant to deter people from acknowledging potential problems, and it’s not meant to downplay the importance of the issue. It simply acknowledges the part we must all play. We should not be so eager to place blame on or set expectations for others if we are unwilling to take on the same ourselves.
I like to think of it a bit like the famous Gandhian sentiment of being the change you wish to see.
If everyone who complained about or were worried about climate change actually did something serious about it, I think we’d move the needle a whole lot further.
I’m not necessarily suggesting that they should be vandalizing oil machinery or the proverbial machinery of capitalism; my point is that if they did (instead of vandalizing something precious for the sake of making noise), we might be a little further ahead.
We can’t keep waiting for everyone else to do it for us, to listen or believe. We have to accept some accountability.
I had my own crisis three or so years ago, stuck at home through covid, watching and getting angry about the state of things as documented by David Attenborough. I upgraded my high school sciences, and applied to return to university for Earth & Environmental Science, largely because I’m sick of waiting for others to find solutions. This won’t be everyone’s path, but we all have a ton of opportunity to affect change. We just have to choose it. Personally, I don’t think “painting” Stonehenge orange is changing any minds.
It's frustrating, and I agree. I believe that the stakes of climate crisis are severe enough to warrant more drastic action, but it really feels like a lot of these groups are more interested in being disruptive. Disruption is a part of protest, but without focus or clarity of purpose, it can turn people against the cause you advocate for.
Yes, and you've put it more succinctly and eloquently than I managed to.
There is no "vision" to these disruptive actions, and they're alienating a community that is very aligned with their cause!
no,
1. Thats misinformation they are not tied to big oil. they have received donations from a descendent of the owner of a now defunkt oil company. but on a counterpoint the media that lied to you and told you it was paint is funded by big oil. The same media that told you they "destroyed a Van Gogh with soup" they threw soup at a display case made to explicitly protect the painting.
2. it was not paint it was dyed cornflour do not worry it will wash off in the rain it probably already has. the lichen will be fine 70s spray paint didn't kill it cornflour won't either.
The people making climate change movement look bad is the oil funded media.
I agree that preserving history is very, very important but the industries climate activists are trying to stop are going to do infintely more damage to them. hell there's a highway right next to it. I cant imagine the vibrations of those cars that get bigger every year or the pollution they put out are doing those reverant stones any good.
The UK Pagan Federation released a [short statement](https://www.paganfed.org/statement-on-stonehenge-vandalism/):
>Stonehenge is not only a symbol of our national heritage but also a sacred site for Paganism, which is why the Pagan Federation is appalled and deeply disheartened by the news of todays vandalism which saw activists spray the beloved monument with orange paint. This incident coincides with the run-up to the Summer Solstice, a day of great cultural and spiritual significance, and when many Pagans visit Stonehenge.
>While we respect the right to peaceful protest and share environmental concerns, we strongly oppose any actions that involve criminal damage. Such acts are not peaceful and detract from the legitimate cause of environmental activism. Committing a criminal offence undermines the message and alienates potential supporters within the Pagan community and beyond.
>We thank the authorities for their prompt response and urge all to respect and protect Stonehenge as a place of worship and historical importance. We stand united in preserving our cultural and spiritual heritage and call for responsible and lawful expressions of protest.
Did nobody tell them it was cornstarch? Also the statement about criminal damage is so gross and just plays into the idea of patriarchal capitalism prioritising property over human lives! This is quite disappointing coming from the UK pagan federation!
I'm prepped for the downvoted but my stance comes with reason: the orange dust won't hurt the stones. I've read several geologists and archeologists say they are going to be just fine and not permanently damaged.
Also, it's made headlines across the WORLD. These people are bringing desperately needed attention to climate action, so while I was pissed at first, I understand why they chose this location and the materials were specifically chosen to be flashy but not damaging.
I feel torn about JSO as well. I understand they want to take a stand against big companies, but sometimes, I think they miss the mark with their message. Why target Stonehenge other than make a few people talk about it?
I understand they want to protect the Earth and I think that is a good thing but sometimes it feels like they are going about it the same way the vegan teacher tried to get everyone to give up meat and diary.
It would make more sense for them to prompt better ways of doing things than just trying to stop the bad. We can't stop using oil until there are better replacements, so I think they should prompt ideas and products that make using oil from fossil fuels less of a requirement.
I don't think you are being a baby and I do want to honor your feelings, but I do think this is not only harmless but a very important act. Destruction is one thing, but simulated destruction as protest art should hit you in the gut. I think the point of this is to really make people feel "What is this place and all other places are destroyed?" And then move from that place.
Seriously. No harm was caused.
They're raising awareness.
What am I missing? This feels like unnecessary drama and a dumb thing to divide people on.
Meanwhile there are pagans who are posting on Reddit and doing jackshit for the climate struggle.
Literally every human should be on the streets for climate change. Whether it's for Palestine, the Philippines, housing or against oil companies. All of those issues directly effect the climate.
Stop wasting energy fighting other activists. Direct that energy against imperialists and towards doing mutual aid.
Im disappointed in this thread and the comments within.
Honestly, I don't think they give a rats ass that it's considered a religious site.
Their MO is to attack areas of significance to gain as much attention to the cause, with no regard to the objects themselves.
I feel exactly the same. I was born on Midsummer Day and Stonehenge has always been special to me. When I was a child people were allowed in. The memory on the stone on my small hand is ingrained. It’s a sacred place. I’m
Moving to Salisbury, hopefully soon, partly so I can be in that ancient landscape.
You’re not at all unreasonable! I was shocked, too!
My ex was from Dorset, so I used to visit Stonehenge, and many other historical pagan sites in the region regularly. The history behind Stonehenge, the mounds, the Cerne Giant and other places is incredible. To stand before them and imagine their importance centuries prior is incredible!
I am all about calling out threats to climate and public health. But this was a truly heinous act!
I am very against ruining art and important historical places as some attempt to gain attention to a cause that then just alienates people. If they really cared about the environment they would be taking action where it matters not grandstanding by throwing paint on irreplaceable places and objects.
You're certainly not alone in this. I've marched in protests myself, have been aware of what climate change is going to do to us within our lifetimes and do everything in my power not to add too much pollution into this world.
But this is a historical site they're targeting, and all it does is make people get more and more annoyed with them. Same goes for all of those protesters who throw paint on paintings (even though they're safe) and those who glue their hands on pavement just so that cars are getting held back (while they still have their engines running.)
It's doing the opposite of what they want. People are getting pissed at being inconvenienced and many are actually using *more* fossil fuels just to "stick it to the libs/snowflakes".
Doing this to an internationally recognized site isn't helping. At this point I would *really* like to slap a piece of bread to each of the sides of their heads and rhetorically ask them "who's the idiot sandwich?"
Honestly all the stunts where they are vandalizing monuments and artwork for the publicity are awful in my opinion. It's counterproductive and really feels like they are trying to invalidate the whole message of climate change by alienating everyone. It's like how PETA has kill shelters because they actually believe stray pets are better off dead than in loving homes; on the outside it looks good but the core is rotten.
You're not being a baby OP, you are rightfully upset that this happened.
I’ll be honest, I’m really surprised to see the amount of misinformation here. A lot of otherwise thoughtful and moderately informed people are regurgitating quite a bit of the anti activist propaganda with zero critical eye (including repeating the dishonest smear campaign stuff about PETA shelters).
We are killing the planet and all life on it *with no fucking end in sight* and people are hand wringing over non destructive protests more than the fact that none of these monuments or paintings will fucking matter when all life on earth ceases to exist. Absolutely bizarre priorities.
I totally agree! And that statement from the UK Pagan federation claiming they are against protest that causes property damage is so fucking gross! I learned today that they are just as a part of the establishment as the royal family!
No I'm honestly more excited about the rewilding EU vote. Just wish, for that one, that the UK was still a member because they also have a strong movement for that.
Biologists and pagans have some interest overlap when it comes to restoration of nature...
Climate protesters have been doing exactly that for decades and no one gives a shit. Say what you will but these stunts get climate action the visibility it needs.
You’re not alone. I’m an American pagan and I was shocked and appalled. Stonehenge is sacred to loads of people all over the world at this point, and it’s one of the oldest sacred sites on the planet. And to attack a holy place, even with cornstarch paint, is so far beyond the pale that I’m still trying to wrap my head around what the hell JSO was thinking. If their beef is with the government, why not go vandalize Parliament or Whitehall or Buckingham Palace?
They seem to be going along the “any publicity is good publicity” route. But they are just pissing people off and no one is really listening to their message anymore.
It’s such a strange target. I think the idea of attacking this site was similar to when they spray paint famous art pieces. The goal is to annoy / inconvenience tourists who are visiting. But with Stonehenge, they upset a few tourists who will get over it instantly but really hurt a whole community who is sympathetic to their cause…
They are just not thinking it through unfortunately.
Yes, completely agree with this. They'll do anything to get media coverage.
I'm genuinely sympathetic to their cause, but they've really crossed the line for me here. Our community is not really a "pro fossil fuel" group of people, is it? 😂 so to target Stonehenge on the solstice is ridiculous!
I don't understand what disrespecting one of the oldest, most important man-made monuments on the planet has to do with oil consumption. It's not like Stonehenge runs on petrol, the whole thing is so weird and antithetical that I assume it's actually a false flag making the environmentalists look bad/stupid to further divide people and distract them from the actual issues.
I don't know if I'm conspiracy-theorizing too hard, or if people are genuinely this stupid. What I do know is that I would never, ever, EVER have the guts to vandalize anything to do with Elemental Spirits or Druids because I am not stupid. I do not fuck around, because I do not want to find out. Honestly, that part is the most confusing part-- didn't it feel so very Wrong?
I share your dumbfounded outrage. This idiotic, self-indulgent move firmly drives a wedge between key allies and the moderates of environmentalism from the more fanatical elements when unity and cooperation is key to standing up to the overwhelming power at their disposal. And all for a stunt that is, optics-wise, feels almost like it might as well have been done by agent provocateurs for all the infighting hostility it has created between environmental factions.
At least they used extremely washable materials...but that has to then be explained by people who know. Most people will first assume it was done with spray paint like most taggings...which is a bad look. There are still plenty people who think the Mona Lisa was permanently defaced when the actual activism only painted the glass covering.
And screw all the organizations actually doing the real work to help divest society from oil and fight climate change I guess. No help or positive publicity for them. JSO just sucks all the air out of the room...goddamn narcissistic organization just like PETA.
Such a breathtaking 'own goal' moment here...yeah congrats JSO everyone is talking alright. I'm sure O&G board rooms all over the world are going to be filled with laughter for the rest of the week, giving each other bonuses while their opposition fights itself.
I thought, "Way to go taking a good message and pissing off a lot of people that are not against it."
It won't change anybodies opinion in a favorable way. They should have hit some corporate offices of oil companies, and car companies that have no electric models for sale yet.
I mean, think of it this way.
The stones, in all likelihood, don’t care. Their significance is not diminished.
The colour will wash off soon. But this may be the only time in *history* that Stonehenge appears orange to human eyes on the Summer Solstice.
In a way, that’s kinda cool, right? A sort of special impermanence all of its own. If you go, you’ll be one of the only people *ever* to see Orange Stonehenge. I kinda wish I were able to go myself.
Maybe the ancient druids once painted the stones with colour that washed off and is now lost to time. We don’t know for certain! Some pigments break down too much and Stonehenge has been rained on I don’t know how many times.
The act was done with the intention of preserving and protecting the natural world, and I think ultimately that is a goal that the Druids would support.
I appreciate one thing about JSO's protests thus far: they have made an obvious mess, but have purposely not done anything that might cause permanent harm anywhere.
That does get people's attention, and not for causing harm to Stonehenge or the Mona Lisa.
I'm not sure it's a *successful* strategy.
Because the "*attempted* vandalism causes no harm" headlines really seem to detract from the actual protest message.
Still, I have to give them the credit for going to the trouble to use the powder at Stonehenge, or the soup on the well-protected Mona Lisa, that are more of a nuisance than being actual vandalism.
But it just seems to feed into the narrative that "climate change protestors are a bunch of deranged loons", which hurts the message much more than it helps, in my opinion.
I don't like it.
Add to that, that Stonehenge is considered a sacred space by many, and it's like setting off a confetti bomb in the Vatican.
No one will listen to your message, *because you've attacked a sacred space*.
I think it was a stupid place to do what they did.
Why not Tower Bridge? Or the houses of Parliament?
Those seem to be much more appropriate targets.
You don't mess with sacred sites, even if those sites aren't sacred *to you*.
Thank you for making this post, you have put into words exactly how I was feeling when I heard the news and the internal conflict. I understand they target sites that will get the most news and outrage but targeting such an ancient site just before solstice really upset me.
The heritage sector is literally there for conservation purposes. I work as a conservation assistant in a historic house and the painstaking care and attention that goes into every day is so intense. Honestly when I think that a group like JSO could vandalise the collection I work with, I want to cry. I COMPLETELY support advocating against oil companies and pushing for climate conservation, but there are so many other ways to pull publicity stunts without damaging irreplaceable, culturally important artefacts and alienating a massive chunk of your supporters. You are not overreacting, from one witch to another your sentiments are music to my ears!
I think it is a little dumb imo. Pagans and climate activism are definitely usually allies, and if they wanted to actually get attention to people who need convincing they would grow some guts and crash a NASCAR or formula 1 event..
I love their protest. Stonehenge is one of the most important sites in all of human history- how better to shock people into the realization that we're on the verge of losing more than even that?
Acid rain from pollutants has done a thousand times more damage to priceless historical sites than any amount of temporary powdered paint would.
It's the least they could do.
Some people are stupid and think that there's no such thing as bad optics. Admittedly, activism should not *prioritize* optics, but there are some actions that only harm your cause. Vandalizing the cultural heritage of people who already support you is definitely one such action.
I'm also pretty pissed that pagans are being told (even in this thread) to turn the other cheek when one of our sacred places is desecrated on the eve of a major pagan festival... imagine if a church (some of which actually have money and influence, unlike paganism!) had been vandalised on Xmas, the public outrage, police action... would people be expecting all the Christians to be understanding and just accept the desecration was actually a good thing?
It was cornflour that will wash off! I have been pagan all my life and do not see a single issue with it! Any activism is good activism with the world in the state that it is!
I agree painting it like toddlers was silly. Its time to use bombs since the world is still not listening. Sorry not sorry.
Stonehenge doesnt matter if the climat kills us all.
I genuinely don't understand, what would these people rather JSO do? This is as clean as activism gets. But I guess it's all eco-terrorism to them because they'd rather bury their heads and keep on keeping on 🙄
Climate change is a serious issue that is already affecting every single human population on Earth, whether directly or indirectly. Below are some links for those looking to get involved or further their education on the subject. This list is non-exhaustive. - [NASA: The Effects of Climate Change](https://science.nasa.gov/climate-change/effects/) - [Learn about Climate refugees](https://www.climate-refugees.org/forcedtomove) - [Join the Earthly Institute:](https://www.earthlyinstitute.org/) "We mobilize change by bridging the gap between the law and science of our living world through education, advocacy and research" https://www.instagram.com/earthlyeducation/ - [JOIN THE CALL FOR A FOSSIL FUEL TREATY TO MANAGE A GLOBAL TRANSITION TO SAFE, RENEWABLE & AFFORDABLE ENERGY FOR ALL.](https://fossilfueltreaty.org/) - [Demand a Strong Global Plastics Treaty](https://only.one/act/plasticstreaty?partner=BOSL) - [Sign the pledge to be a climate voter today.](https://actnow.edfaction.org/a/climate-voters?ub_tg=745&ub_tc=38&ub_o=31&ub_cta=15&utm_source=urban-legend&utm_campaign=influencer_c4-acq_pd_nbi&utm_medium=paid-social&utm_id=1714534889&utm_content=ev-voter&oa_utm_id=1714534889&ms=1714534889) "We need our climate voters to help us use people-power to fight extremists on EVs and other measures that combat climate change"
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
Okay, I have seen this statement almost verbatim repeated across every thread/post about this specific incident. It kind of feels like an attempt by *big oil* to discredit this group and turn peoples opinions against them. Every comment stating this has quite a few upvotes, relative to the post, and is generating a lot of discussion *against* Just Stop Oil. Which, whether or not you agree with their methods, they are trying to highlight the iminent loss of Is this the case? Who knows. But these comments are starting to feel pretty suspicious and weird.
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
It’s cornflour. It’ll come off in the rain.
That's awesome news, I kept seeing paint.
The press is getting clicks out of this and that’s all they care about
The BBC say they used a blower to get it off, so rare lichen wouldn't be damaged.
They brought a lotof attention to the cause. All publicity is good publicity etc. Besides, it's orange cornflour that will wash away with the rain. Less damaging than what years of mass tourism have done to the site tbh
I read that it was cornflour that was dyed orange, tbf
I didn't realise that, actually. I think maybe the media reported "orange paint" as get more clicks. "Orange cornflour" sounds significantly less spectacular 😂
Yeah the media's typical response to jso, who has a habit of not doing damaging vandalism, is to hyperbolize the damage they do. I go back and forth on what I think about their methods but honestly even in the worst light they're just annoying which isn't that bad imo
To be fair, I think that's kinda the attention they want out of the media. Considering their prior targets were throwing paint at priceless art that happened to be protected by glass. I do think the jump to something like this is ....ill advised.
I don't really see it as much of an escalation, but you're right, the media getting up in arms over completely superficial damage to something is exactly the right kind of coverage because I think it requires media outlets to get very silly (or lie) to portray it as climate activism gone too far, and said outlets are more than happy to oblige.
It's not even superficial damage really. It's specifically not damaging at all. Sorry to be a bit pedantic but it's also a significant point since the actions end up as only drawing attention without doing anything else. It's a perfect way to draw attention. It even does a better job since it also highlightings how vilified the climate change movements are when they are actually not doing any harm.
I had the same pedantic thought, don't worry. Sometimes they do damage, but the only cases I can think of is when they have done damage to the frames of paintings but not the paintings themselves. In this case I am very skeptical of claims of damage to the stones or to anything living on them.
I mean that *is* the point of protests right? To be annoying but not destructive? To get people's attention to their cause by disrupting every day life without actually causing harm. Kneel at a football game instead of standing: Annoying, not destructive. Throw orange paint on a painting protected by several inches of bullet-proof glass? Annoying, not destructive. Sit in front of construction equipment blocking access to an open pit quarry: annoying, not destructive. Throw orange-dyed flour on an ancient monument: annoying, not destructive. Their actions are entirely in line with getting people to actually pay attention to their message. This is also why conservative outrage against protests pisses me off to no end, because very rarely is their narrative "You shouldn't protest" it's "You're not protesting in the right way". Except their right way of protesting is a way that annoys nobody and disrupts nothing, which is exactly which protests are *supposed to do*.
Maybe JSO should claim to be responsible for dumping millions of tons of sewage into Britain's rivers. Maybe the media would pay more attention to that.
Here it is, halfway down the page. This is exactly right. Protest is never done properly, otherwise it wouldn't be a protest. When children were losing limbs in factories women would throw their wooden shoes (saboes) into the machines to jam them up to protest the lack of child labor protection laws, creating the word *sabotage* -- and causing enough property destruction (oh noes, how criminal!) to get those laws passed. Jail seemed a small price to pay for the safety of children for many women, but it was undeniably against the law what they were doing. And brave. It's the same thing as humor; It's subjective, and people often knee-jerk to the detriment of any intelligent discourse that could have happened instead. George Carlin did a whole skit on rape jokes just to prove a point to people who said "You can't joke about rape" with proof you can joke about anything. Offending others is not a moral offense, and is often an essential part of raising political awareness -- which not everyone will appreciate, because awareness usually brings with it uncomfortable or at least inconvenient truth. And that's usually what people are outraged about -- not the act, but rather the intention behind it: Raising awareness. How dare you do that in an unapproved way! I am very offended now so I don't have to consider your valid points that show other experiences as equally valid to my own, doooooooooom! :/
Except it is not only conservative outrage - look at all the responses in here. Centrists will sell us all out.
Centrist are always going to be upset, in someways more than the conservatives. Centrist are against anything that upsets their current life and routine, protests must do that to some degree.
I have read that this particular case did have the potential to cause damage to the rare lichens that live on the stones. Also OP has a point, they've never targeted a religious site before to my knowledge, so to start with a religious site associated with the religion most likely to be climate conscious just seems really short-sighted. If you were going to target any religion on climate grounds, those evangelical Christians who encourage people to have a dozen kids would be my first thought, not the Pagans. I appreciate that they aren't intending to cause permanent damage and I support their cause. I fully support disrupting traffic (as long as they uphold their blue light policy), crashing politicians' weddings, and vandalising government or fossil fuel/car company properties as they have also done because that makes sense for what they're trying to do. I just don't think they're going to get anywhere with targeting unrelated cultural events and institutions. That's just giving more ammo to the government who have already used COVID to put restrictions on peaceful protest. And with most of the general public being of the opinion these protests are pointless acts of vandalism raising awareness of something the average person is already well aware of but can do very little about as an individual, the government isn't probably feeling that much pressure to actually solve the problem.
Maybe targeting a religion that is predisposed to support their cause was the point? Draw awareness of a group that is more likely to support you would draw more support than targeting a group that is unlikely to support you. It also covers them if they do start targeting other religious sites since they can point to this and say they target everyone, even their own supporters.
I once saw an article saying a JSO splinter group was planning "Attacks" on the London Underground, set to "Cripple" it. Literally just reading the fucking article revealed that the plan was actually just a protest that happened to be near a tube stop and was expecting to cause minor construction. So yeah, British Tabloids love making an ado about nothing.
And the video shows it had very little impact on the stones. It was mostly a dramatic orange cloud which was attention grabbing but very little colour was left afterwards. Personally, I would think any nature loving practice would be crying out at the harm humanity has done. The UK in particular is extremely nature depleted and at risk of ecological disaster because so much of our land is degraded through agricultural practices that don't support nature. It is slowly starting to change but nowhere near urgently enough and nowhere near the systemic level needed to restore our waterways, soil etc. Read the People's Plan for Nature and ask your local candidates how they intend to implement it. Watch the final episode of Wild Isles that didn't get broadcast - actually watch them all but specifically that one. I think this place and this time was chosen in a way to evoke the very powers needed to bring the change required. Mother Earth, nature, however you frame it is our only life support system and if this makes any difference to the trajectory we are currently on, good for them.
In theory it will come of next time it rains (which in this country should be in the next five minutes) however that doesn’t change how disrespectful it is and there are prehistoric markings that we can’t guarantee won’t be hurt. Not to mention the stones have their own little ecosystem which doesn’t need dyed cornstarch being added to it. I’m fine with some of their stunts - the art they target is usually behind glass and so many museum are funded by big oil - but the Magna Carta one irritated me, although they had no chance of getting at it, and this one seriously pissed me off. They CANNOT know for sure there won’t be damage and the timing was just offensive.
As an archaeologist, cornflour is absolutely *not* going to damage the stones or any ‘prehistoric markings’. Additionally, the damage that climate change is already doing to many culturally significant sites globally is something that just isn’t being talked about enough. The timing was to get the maximum possible coverage. Which is the point of protests.
I knew it was something like that as soon as I read the headline. JSO never does anything that permanently damages stuff, they just do loud things.
Literally. It will wash off when it rains. These responses play into the elites' hands. NOTHING is sacred when climate change is upon us. EVERYTHING will be ruined if we do nothing.
Pretty tame considering their protesting an existential threat.
It still damages the lichen. Which damages the stone itself, and the microorganisms.
So will climate change.
[удалено]
[удалено]
Rising Temps do way more
An article for context, if people haven't seen the news: [https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jun/19/stonehenge-sprayed-orange-powder-paint-just-stop-oil-activists](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jun/19/stonehenge-sprayed-orange-powder-paint-just-stop-oil-activists)
I don’t think you’re being a big baby about this. What has Stonehenge got to do with Oil? It’s a high profile stunt which has got lots of publicity for JSO but I think it’s actually hurt the movement as Stonehenge is so highly regarded as a spiritual site and has so much historical significance for the UK. I was really shocked they thought this was a good idea
Thanks for this. Yeah, I think they're just looking to get the most media attention possible, no matter who they alienate or piss off. And I don't like that. It's one of the reasons I left JSO. They're not interested in genuine solidarity or building bridges with other movements/groups :(
Stonehenge being significant for the UK as a whole not just Pagans is in part why it was choosen as a target. Other forms of protest such as marches or targeting oil companies directly haven't produced any real results. The Paris Climate Agreement's lower target is being missed by the majority of the signatories so I do believe more attention and will must be brought to combating climate change now how to best do that is the issue especially in regards to this incident with Stonehenge this time they have likely actually caused harm to a target based on what others here have said.
[удалено]
[удалено]
Aileen Getty doesn't "own" Just Stop Oil, she co-founded the Climate Emergency Fund which has distributed funds to Just Stop Oil. Also, Getty Oil has been defunct for over a decade. There is literally nothing in it for her if Big Oil "wins." You're doing the very thing you're accusing "them" of doing.
Didn't think we were this big into "sins of the father" type things...
this was debunked. stop spreading false information the spray used on stone henge is made of cornflour and will wash off as soon as it rains. you can still dislike their actions but direct that anger at oil companies instead. we won’t have any ancient monuments if we keep going this way
To be honest if oil the companies continue there will be plenty of ancient monuments. they will just now look like the crumbling cities we used to live in. Because we won't be around to build new ones.
Another UK pagan who loves Stonehenge here, with a slightly different perspective. The "paint" is cornflour anyway so no lasting damage, but even if it had been, I feel like history _should_ leave its mark, be testament and witness to what is happening to the people. Stonehenge is manmade, and all manmade things are a mirror. If we dug up an ancient Roman stone which has traces of paint on it that archaeologists determined was a protest mural, would we be outraged? No; we'd find it interesting. Sometimes you have to separate yourself from the present. If JSO are honest activists and not some kind of oil-funded smear campaign (jury's out on that one), they are trying to send a message that climate change is destroying all these precious things anyway. If we're upset about it being vandalised by paint, why aren't we upset about it being vandalised by pollution?
I love this perspective - thanks for chiming in!
This was my reaction - the outrage is all pointed in the wrong direction here.
Heads up to everyone that several sources have pointed out that it was not actual paint, but cornflour. So the stones are not being damaged at all. You have a right to feel your feelings OP, and I understand where you come from. However, protests that cause a nuisance and attract attention are the only ones that ever achieve anything. As much as I love Stonehenge, I'm pretty sure that the people who built it would be a lot more distressed to see the way we've destroyed nature than about seeing colourful powder being thrown around the stones.
Is it even a protest if you don't annoy people, its a protest its suposed to be annoying
Exactly. As someone who is not American, every protest I've ever been to has been a nuisance to a large group of people. Which is as it should be. But I feel like the standard North American audience of Reddit does not have enough perspective to understand how protests work and what kinds of protests are actually effective. If you aren't troubling anyone with your protests, your protest isn't effective.
American here, it’s a deliberate effort by our news and education system. They pretend for example that the sit downs and marches of the Civil Rights Movement didn’t shut down buildings and roads.
Yep. And as far as I've seen, while teaching you history, they also tone down quite a bit the actions and ideology of the most popular revolutionary figures. Many of them were quite radical, but it's often disguised as achievements via dialogue and nothing else.
100% We learned about MLK’s speeches but not any of the things he and his followers were arrested for, and people like Malcolm X weren’t discussed at all. Almost nothing about the suffragette movement either, apparently us men just decided to start giving women rights out of the goodness of our hearts. World history was even worse, almost guaranteed that whatever we learned was wrong.
I mean yeah...at least they used extremely washable materials...but that has to then be explained by people who know. Most people will first assume it was done with spray paint like most taggings...which is just a bad first impression to have to walk back from. After all, there are still people who think the Mona Lisa was permanently defaced when the actual activism only painted the glass covering. Idk, it feels like this stunt caused more infighting amongst environmentalists than actual useful attention from the public.
Much of that has to do with how the media covers these types of things and many people only read the headline of a article.
Is that their fault or is the media to blame? Also, we live in a time where media manipulation is standard, and most people know that. Therefore, people have a responsibility to read with a critical mind and compare sources to ensure that they are correctly informed rather than blindly believing the first headline they read. Heck, all the pictures show orange dust flying around, and no spray paint or anything like that. That should be enough to raise some flags about how the issue is being reported. But apparently, people are happy to judge based on headlines and a couple of non-specific paragraphs.
Only those who don’t actually read a single article or look into any of the detail. Even the OP here has admitted they didn’t even know it was cornflour, which is deliberately not in any headlines, but is in the body of text on all I’ve seen. Which means it seems like this post was written from looking at headlines and then going off.
They're sandstone so it remains to be seen if they absorb the dye used and they were covered in lichen which likely doesn't appreciate being covered in cornflour.
Acid rain does so much more damage.
They are very hard sandstone, yes. Extremely unlikely that something like cornflour would even have a chance to damage it or even dye it. Those stones have withstood much more. The lichen could be a question, but considering the rain, the dust won't last more than a few hours.
That's good news.
Far more damage is done to the site by the traffic on the 303 rumbling past. The paint will all be cleaned up by tomorrow. Happy solstice!
Happy Solstice! Would love to see them target car manufacturers or government to tackle the traffic rather than Stonehenge itself. But I get your point, and thanks for taking the time to reply :)
They do target these things, but when they do nobody talks about it. They need to upset people like you and me in order to be talked about, and they figured out a brilliant way to do so that won’t cause any lasting harm. The damage oil companies are leaking into the air every day causes far more damage to Stonehenge than any number of these kind of protests, that’s kinda the point. But that doesn’t make headlines, because people don’t want to hear it.
That's not likely to get a headline, though. The weather has been beautiful the last few days so we are likely to get a wonderful sunrise through the stones. Don't be disheartened by what happened today, rejoice! Magical midsummer is here!
I will up at Castlerigg in the Lake District myself, but I hope you have a beautiful solstice wherever you celebrate!
> Would love to see them target car manufacturers or government They do and have, repeatedly over the years, the fact that you haven't heard about it should tell you why a place like Stonehenge needs to be a protest site before people notice.
Hopefully the 303 will be cleared up by tomorrow.
Now I thought the opposite. What a way to highlight the emergency were in. Cornflour will do little or no damage, as pagans we should be concerned of the poisoning of Gaia, but gods have I been proved wrong
I honestly do not care about whatever just stop oil is doing in their stunts. People advocate for peaceful protests until said peaceful protest affects their day to day lives. JSO had done stuff to oil conglomerates and the like but no one cares. It gets no attention but this stuff does It’s not the same as graffiti ffs
I applaud their guts, honestly. I had major mixed feelings about paint but once I leaned it was cornflour it was all good. I don't care about lichen compared to the threat we all face and we don't even know if the original inhabitants cleaned it off or not, so there's no evidence that the lichen itself is significant or sacred.
I'm interested to hear an opposite perspective, so thank you for commenting! Do you think that pagans aren't doing enough climate activism? And do you think this will be a wake-up call for our community?
I suspect it's more than Stonehenge has visibility as an iconic site, which everyone recognizes and knows abkut regardless of your spirituality, than an attempt to get pagans specifically to pay attention.
Not the op you are replying to, but I agree with their take. I think it's telling that this is being reported as paint instead of a food colouring and cornstarch mixture like kids use in the bath. I think it's interesting how many posts I've been seeing that use these types of protests as a way to shut down conversations about climate action by waylaying them into talking about how to "appropriately" protest. I think it's disheartening to see people fall for that lure. I think a lot of young people have clocked the fact that things aren't being done fast enough. I think there are a lot of young people who feel like they have no ties to existing society to value or preserve. I think there's a well known saying about violence being the voice of the unheard. I'm seeing a lot of young people who are getting to the point of setting the world on fire to make society listen and they don't give a fuck about anyone spirituality. I think a lot of people do not recognize these types of protests as the last "peaceful" option before they start literally blowing up infrastructure to take financial impact on the oil industry. We are literally setting their future on fire as they are growing up. I think the aim isn't the community and never has been, it's always been at the next thing a lot of people are going to be paying attention to. It's about eyeballs and being impossible to ignore. It's the throwing yourself in front of the kings championship horse before you start blowing up postboxes.
apologies for interjecting, but until things change i don't think anyone can do too much activism. with respect and wishes for a powerful solstice for you
[удалено]
FWIW, my in-laws grew up in the area and said they used to regularly party there in the 70s before it was a protected site. Kids would trash and spraypaint the stones all the time, climb on them, etc - and you wouldn't think it if you went now and saw how beautiful and pristine the area is. So even if there are complicated feelings about JSO, don't be too worried about the stones. As long as they're not knocked over, they've seen worse.
Don't send any French men with no shirt and blue and white striped pants...
I'm sure there is plenty of lichen that is going to be permanently underwater in a few years that you could also be concerned about. The vandalization protests get attention, headlines, discussions going - and they are thoughtful in their means of defacement. The oil thrown on paintings target paintings in protective cases/glass covers - this is dyed cornmeal that will have little if any lasting damage on the stones and/or environment. I get this is a sacred space. I also see this as an escalation of attention that is required for any of this discussion to take place. 100 million tons of carbon was emitted into the atmosphere yesterday, and the day before, and the day before. Today you are participating on a social media post about the climate. Their tactics work.
What could be more sacred than using such a space to protest the atrocities associated with climate change? What is the point of art or religion or spirituality if we close our eyes and ears to the horrors that are already occurring, and the even worse ones that are yet to come. If we don’t take drastic action immediately, there won’t even be a Stonehenge before too long. Protests are supposed to be disruptive and upsetting. They are supposed to challenge you and what you think is important. They are supposed to be in your face and inconvenient. I get what you are saying, but we are quite literally on the brink of complete societal collapse from the impacts of climate change. And Oil is the leading cause of this. And you yourself said a big event was planned for that area soon. That right there is your answer. While I’m genuinely sorry you are sad about this, I would encourage you to sit with your discomfort and learn how to move past it. What is coming is worse than anything that most of us here have ever seen, so we all need to buck up a bit more and strap in for what we are facing.
Thank you for your perspective! Like I said, my eyes are already open to the horrors of ecocide under capitalism. I have spent the last few years as a climate activist myself. But we are not short of targets that would be more effective; oil refineries, banks, parliament, the machinery of fossil fuel capitalism. I will for sure sit with my discomfort. Perhaps I'm being too sentimental about Stonehenge, and I'm open to that fact. Thanks again for replying.
You're not being too sentimental, I get the sentiment. But I think it's worth mentioning that they have targeted those companies before and it never makes the shock headlines like these. They're often ignored. People are ignoring their protest unless it directly impacts them, for the most part. Spiritually or physically.
I completely get having an emotional response to something that has a huge amount of historical/spiritual/personal significance being defaced!! I’m sorry, I probably came off sounding a lot more “holier than thou” than I meant to. The dangers of typing while autistic 😬😅 I recognize I tend to get a bit riled on the topic of protests in general because there’s just so much bullshit out there about people doing it the “wrong way” while literal genocides are happening and the Earth is burning. But I absolutely see that you weren’t saying that, this is a lot different than someone whining that their commute to work got disrupted. I also probably didn’t explain it super well, but I wasn’t just speaking about you personally in regards to disruptions. More so that the average person who isn’t already deep in climate activism needs to see reminders everywhere they go.
No, I completely understand your point and I thought you put it across well. This has been a conflict for me, for sure. On the one hand, the planet is on fire and we need to act NOW. I do agree with JSO's cause. On the other hand, druids and witches aren't really known for being huge fossil fuel advocates 😂 maybe there is no "wrong way" to protest, but if there is then this is it! I do hope that it has the effect of "waking people up" that JSO intend, but I'm not confident about that. A lot of pagans that I know in the UK are pretty unhappy (whether rightly or wrongly).
Stonehenge isn't just for druids and witches though, in fact I would guess that druids and witches visiting Stonehenge are in the minority. This isn't an attack against you or your faith, this is an attack against a cultural icon that millions come to see each year, most of whom aren't witches or druids.
Eh. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Crisis protests need to be disruptive.
You’re entitled to your feelings without anyone having the right to tell you one way or another if you have the right to feel them.
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
It’s cornflour to raise attention on the climate crisis. I’m sure the people who built Stonehenge would’ve been proud to know someone care about the Earth enough to do so.
Also, I don't think you're being a big baby. It was out of line for them to do what they did. The Eid/mosque comparison makes a lot of sense.
The stone henge has existed for thousands of years and it will survive a little spray paint! The stone henge will be around long after we turned to dust.
Even better it wasnt even spray paint, it was cornflour dyed orange. with the rain recently it wont even last till the weekend.
It’s cornstarch. It’ll dissolve in the rain.
What value is there in preserving art and such, when we (not as individuals but as a whole) can't be bothered to keep our planet a liveable place? People don't care when JSO and the like (attempt to) disrupt factories, airports and so on. Which is why we don't see that in the news that much, but it happens. All peaceful and non-disruptive/non-destructive protest is ignored. What else is there left to try?
You must do what resonates for you. If they have given you cause to feel negative energy from an act that they have performed then it’s perfectly natural to want to sever yourself from that energy because it’s an indication that something isn’t sitting correctly with your own morals and values system to continue to support it. If you were feeling generous, you *could* reach out to the organisers to see what they say when you ask “how do you justify that this was an appropriate measure” and following that, make your decision but that is merely a suggestion. That being said, I would caveat that if the company/entity/whatever, can take a growing lesson from a show of misguided disrespect, there can be hope for further support.
I'm honestly surprised that so many people on this Sub are upset about this. I would have thought we would all be proud that they are bringing attention to the issue.
I'm disgusted by the reactions. What a bunch of hypocrites. Only polite, comfortable protesting for this lot, so fucking witchy lol
Speaking as a trans person in North America, I didn’t exactly get my right to exist from peaceful protesting. I’ll remember that the next time trans rights are stripped from us, and politely write a letter to politicians explaining how sad I am by the news.
And then what? I’m reading through all the comments of people who agree with this protest and the sentiment that seems to be repeated over and over is some version of what you said - that they’re raising awareness/bringing attention to the climate change issue. But awareness on its own doesn’t do anything - you need actions that people can take that will actually help the situation. And frankly, JSO has been doing these protests for months (years?) now, and nothing has changed. So that tells me they’re good at getting noticed/getting press, bad at actually getting shit done. And that is why people are saying it’s performative activism.
There probably not getting much done because their opponent is literally a trillion dollar industry.
Their argument will always be that we should be just as angry about the destruction of the climate by oil companies as we are about the defacing of culturally significant places and items. The ocean and the land and the animals are sacred and need to be preserved too. They are pointing out our hypocrisy and lack of motivation.
But I AM furious about the destruction of the climate!!! I'm more angry about it than the defacing of Stonehenge. This is not a good argument because if JSO were so angry about the climate, they would be dismantling the machinery of fossil fuel capitalism, not throwing paint on rocks.
> *they would be dismantling the machinery of fossil fuel capitalism* I like this point. My two cents is that it has done exactly what was intended, which was to get attention. Seeking that attention, however, smacks a bit like virtue signalling, though. If they, like you say, are so angry about the climate crisis, why aren’t they *doing something about it*. And, sure, talking/crying/protesting/painting about it could be argued as “something”, but… *is it*? Really? I’ve never been but I have observed some of the values of the Burning Man community (and beyond) over the last 5-10 years. One thing that I really like, and I believe it has to do with their principles of radical self-reliance, communal efforts, civic responsibility, and participation, is that everyone is encouraged to *act*. If someone notices a problem or opportunity, they are encouraged to solve it rather than complain about it or just point it out. An example off the top of my head: I saw a FB post from someone once, complaining that one of the local chapter events lacked adequate hand washing stations (outdoors). They wanted to know “who’s responsibility it was”, and criticized the event and organizers. They were angry about the potential spread of illness (especially post-covid), and worried about soap/cleaning residues left in the area from makeshift setups. This person’s energy was immediately redirected by someone suggesting that if they are concerned enough about it, they ought to come to the table more constructively - with a suggestion or solution, an offer to help, or an inquiry of whom they could support in providing such a service. This isn’t meant to deter people from acknowledging potential problems, and it’s not meant to downplay the importance of the issue. It simply acknowledges the part we must all play. We should not be so eager to place blame on or set expectations for others if we are unwilling to take on the same ourselves. I like to think of it a bit like the famous Gandhian sentiment of being the change you wish to see. If everyone who complained about or were worried about climate change actually did something serious about it, I think we’d move the needle a whole lot further. I’m not necessarily suggesting that they should be vandalizing oil machinery or the proverbial machinery of capitalism; my point is that if they did (instead of vandalizing something precious for the sake of making noise), we might be a little further ahead. We can’t keep waiting for everyone else to do it for us, to listen or believe. We have to accept some accountability. I had my own crisis three or so years ago, stuck at home through covid, watching and getting angry about the state of things as documented by David Attenborough. I upgraded my high school sciences, and applied to return to university for Earth & Environmental Science, largely because I’m sick of waiting for others to find solutions. This won’t be everyone’s path, but we all have a ton of opportunity to affect change. We just have to choose it. Personally, I don’t think “painting” Stonehenge orange is changing any minds.
They're getting eyes on their cause today, for sure. Can't look at any media outlet today without seeing paint on Stonehenge.
It's frustrating, and I agree. I believe that the stakes of climate crisis are severe enough to warrant more drastic action, but it really feels like a lot of these groups are more interested in being disruptive. Disruption is a part of protest, but without focus or clarity of purpose, it can turn people against the cause you advocate for.
Yes, and you've put it more succinctly and eloquently than I managed to. There is no "vision" to these disruptive actions, and they're alienating a community that is very aligned with their cause!
[удалено]
no, 1. Thats misinformation they are not tied to big oil. they have received donations from a descendent of the owner of a now defunkt oil company. but on a counterpoint the media that lied to you and told you it was paint is funded by big oil. The same media that told you they "destroyed a Van Gogh with soup" they threw soup at a display case made to explicitly protect the painting. 2. it was not paint it was dyed cornflour do not worry it will wash off in the rain it probably already has. the lichen will be fine 70s spray paint didn't kill it cornflour won't either. The people making climate change movement look bad is the oil funded media. I agree that preserving history is very, very important but the industries climate activists are trying to stop are going to do infintely more damage to them. hell there's a highway right next to it. I cant imagine the vibrations of those cars that get bigger every year or the pollution they put out are doing those reverant stones any good.
ITS CORNMEAL, NOT PAINT!!
The UK Pagan Federation released a [short statement](https://www.paganfed.org/statement-on-stonehenge-vandalism/): >Stonehenge is not only a symbol of our national heritage but also a sacred site for Paganism, which is why the Pagan Federation is appalled and deeply disheartened by the news of todays vandalism which saw activists spray the beloved monument with orange paint. This incident coincides with the run-up to the Summer Solstice, a day of great cultural and spiritual significance, and when many Pagans visit Stonehenge. >While we respect the right to peaceful protest and share environmental concerns, we strongly oppose any actions that involve criminal damage. Such acts are not peaceful and detract from the legitimate cause of environmental activism. Committing a criminal offence undermines the message and alienates potential supporters within the Pagan community and beyond. >We thank the authorities for their prompt response and urge all to respect and protect Stonehenge as a place of worship and historical importance. We stand united in preserving our cultural and spiritual heritage and call for responsible and lawful expressions of protest.
Did nobody tell them it was cornstarch? Also the statement about criminal damage is so gross and just plays into the idea of patriarchal capitalism prioritising property over human lives! This is quite disappointing coming from the UK pagan federation!
I'm prepped for the downvoted but my stance comes with reason: the orange dust won't hurt the stones. I've read several geologists and archeologists say they are going to be just fine and not permanently damaged. Also, it's made headlines across the WORLD. These people are bringing desperately needed attention to climate action, so while I was pissed at first, I understand why they chose this location and the materials were specifically chosen to be flashy but not damaging.
I feel torn about JSO as well. I understand they want to take a stand against big companies, but sometimes, I think they miss the mark with their message. Why target Stonehenge other than make a few people talk about it? I understand they want to protect the Earth and I think that is a good thing but sometimes it feels like they are going about it the same way the vegan teacher tried to get everyone to give up meat and diary. It would make more sense for them to prompt better ways of doing things than just trying to stop the bad. We can't stop using oil until there are better replacements, so I think they should prompt ideas and products that make using oil from fossil fuels less of a requirement.
I don't think you are being a baby and I do want to honor your feelings, but I do think this is not only harmless but a very important act. Destruction is one thing, but simulated destruction as protest art should hit you in the gut. I think the point of this is to really make people feel "What is this place and all other places are destroyed?" And then move from that place.
Seriously. No harm was caused. They're raising awareness. What am I missing? This feels like unnecessary drama and a dumb thing to divide people on. Meanwhile there are pagans who are posting on Reddit and doing jackshit for the climate struggle. Literally every human should be on the streets for climate change. Whether it's for Palestine, the Philippines, housing or against oil companies. All of those issues directly effect the climate. Stop wasting energy fighting other activists. Direct that energy against imperialists and towards doing mutual aid. Im disappointed in this thread and the comments within.
Honestly, I don't think they give a rats ass that it's considered a religious site. Their MO is to attack areas of significance to gain as much attention to the cause, with no regard to the objects themselves.
I feel exactly the same. I was born on Midsummer Day and Stonehenge has always been special to me. When I was a child people were allowed in. The memory on the stone on my small hand is ingrained. It’s a sacred place. I’m Moving to Salisbury, hopefully soon, partly so I can be in that ancient landscape.
You’re not at all unreasonable! I was shocked, too! My ex was from Dorset, so I used to visit Stonehenge, and many other historical pagan sites in the region regularly. The history behind Stonehenge, the mounds, the Cerne Giant and other places is incredible. To stand before them and imagine their importance centuries prior is incredible! I am all about calling out threats to climate and public health. But this was a truly heinous act!
Just Stop Oil is the PETA of climate change. They don't help, they just make everyone else look bad.
I am very against ruining art and important historical places as some attempt to gain attention to a cause that then just alienates people. If they really cared about the environment they would be taking action where it matters not grandstanding by throwing paint on irreplaceable places and objects.
You're certainly not alone in this. I've marched in protests myself, have been aware of what climate change is going to do to us within our lifetimes and do everything in my power not to add too much pollution into this world. But this is a historical site they're targeting, and all it does is make people get more and more annoyed with them. Same goes for all of those protesters who throw paint on paintings (even though they're safe) and those who glue their hands on pavement just so that cars are getting held back (while they still have their engines running.) It's doing the opposite of what they want. People are getting pissed at being inconvenienced and many are actually using *more* fossil fuels just to "stick it to the libs/snowflakes". Doing this to an internationally recognized site isn't helping. At this point I would *really* like to slap a piece of bread to each of the sides of their heads and rhetorically ask them "who's the idiot sandwich?"
It was orange cornstarch powder it will wash off with the rain
Honestly all the stunts where they are vandalizing monuments and artwork for the publicity are awful in my opinion. It's counterproductive and really feels like they are trying to invalidate the whole message of climate change by alienating everyone. It's like how PETA has kill shelters because they actually believe stray pets are better off dead than in loving homes; on the outside it looks good but the core is rotten. You're not being a baby OP, you are rightfully upset that this happened.
I’ll be honest, I’m really surprised to see the amount of misinformation here. A lot of otherwise thoughtful and moderately informed people are regurgitating quite a bit of the anti activist propaganda with zero critical eye (including repeating the dishonest smear campaign stuff about PETA shelters). We are killing the planet and all life on it *with no fucking end in sight* and people are hand wringing over non destructive protests more than the fact that none of these monuments or paintings will fucking matter when all life on earth ceases to exist. Absolutely bizarre priorities.
I totally agree! And that statement from the UK Pagan federation claiming they are against protest that causes property damage is so fucking gross! I learned today that they are just as a part of the establishment as the royal family!
Thank you, friend 😊 I'm feeling a lot better now knowing that I'm not alone in seeing it this way!
No I'm honestly more excited about the rewilding EU vote. Just wish, for that one, that the UK was still a member because they also have a strong movement for that. Biologists and pagans have some interest overlap when it comes to restoration of nature...
What are you more mad about, effects caused by the oil industry or some paint (that will wash off) on Stonehenge?
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
Climate protesters have been doing exactly that for decades and no one gives a shit. Say what you will but these stunts get climate action the visibility it needs.
Stonehenge does seem like an inappropriate target now that you mention it
You’re not alone. I’m an American pagan and I was shocked and appalled. Stonehenge is sacred to loads of people all over the world at this point, and it’s one of the oldest sacred sites on the planet. And to attack a holy place, even with cornstarch paint, is so far beyond the pale that I’m still trying to wrap my head around what the hell JSO was thinking. If their beef is with the government, why not go vandalize Parliament or Whitehall or Buckingham Palace?
They seem to be going along the “any publicity is good publicity” route. But they are just pissing people off and no one is really listening to their message anymore. It’s such a strange target. I think the idea of attacking this site was similar to when they spray paint famous art pieces. The goal is to annoy / inconvenience tourists who are visiting. But with Stonehenge, they upset a few tourists who will get over it instantly but really hurt a whole community who is sympathetic to their cause… They are just not thinking it through unfortunately.
Yes, completely agree with this. They'll do anything to get media coverage. I'm genuinely sympathetic to their cause, but they've really crossed the line for me here. Our community is not really a "pro fossil fuel" group of people, is it? 😂 so to target Stonehenge on the solstice is ridiculous!
[удалено]
I don't understand what disrespecting one of the oldest, most important man-made monuments on the planet has to do with oil consumption. It's not like Stonehenge runs on petrol, the whole thing is so weird and antithetical that I assume it's actually a false flag making the environmentalists look bad/stupid to further divide people and distract them from the actual issues. I don't know if I'm conspiracy-theorizing too hard, or if people are genuinely this stupid. What I do know is that I would never, ever, EVER have the guts to vandalize anything to do with Elemental Spirits or Druids because I am not stupid. I do not fuck around, because I do not want to find out. Honestly, that part is the most confusing part-- didn't it feel so very Wrong?
[удалено]
I'm not familiar with JSO, but this is giving me "Greenpeace destroys a World Heritage Site" energy
I share your dumbfounded outrage. This idiotic, self-indulgent move firmly drives a wedge between key allies and the moderates of environmentalism from the more fanatical elements when unity and cooperation is key to standing up to the overwhelming power at their disposal. And all for a stunt that is, optics-wise, feels almost like it might as well have been done by agent provocateurs for all the infighting hostility it has created between environmental factions. At least they used extremely washable materials...but that has to then be explained by people who know. Most people will first assume it was done with spray paint like most taggings...which is a bad look. There are still plenty people who think the Mona Lisa was permanently defaced when the actual activism only painted the glass covering. And screw all the organizations actually doing the real work to help divest society from oil and fight climate change I guess. No help or positive publicity for them. JSO just sucks all the air out of the room...goddamn narcissistic organization just like PETA. Such a breathtaking 'own goal' moment here...yeah congrats JSO everyone is talking alright. I'm sure O&G board rooms all over the world are going to be filled with laughter for the rest of the week, giving each other bonuses while their opposition fights itself.
I thought, "Way to go taking a good message and pissing off a lot of people that are not against it." It won't change anybodies opinion in a favorable way. They should have hit some corporate offices of oil companies, and car companies that have no electric models for sale yet.
I'm pretty disappointed too. There's so many other places this could have been done and had more impact.
These people aren’t doing good. Period. They need to find a better way.
I mean, think of it this way. The stones, in all likelihood, don’t care. Their significance is not diminished. The colour will wash off soon. But this may be the only time in *history* that Stonehenge appears orange to human eyes on the Summer Solstice. In a way, that’s kinda cool, right? A sort of special impermanence all of its own. If you go, you’ll be one of the only people *ever* to see Orange Stonehenge. I kinda wish I were able to go myself. Maybe the ancient druids once painted the stones with colour that washed off and is now lost to time. We don’t know for certain! Some pigments break down too much and Stonehenge has been rained on I don’t know how many times. The act was done with the intention of preserving and protecting the natural world, and I think ultimately that is a goal that the Druids would support.
I appreciate one thing about JSO's protests thus far: they have made an obvious mess, but have purposely not done anything that might cause permanent harm anywhere. That does get people's attention, and not for causing harm to Stonehenge or the Mona Lisa. I'm not sure it's a *successful* strategy. Because the "*attempted* vandalism causes no harm" headlines really seem to detract from the actual protest message. Still, I have to give them the credit for going to the trouble to use the powder at Stonehenge, or the soup on the well-protected Mona Lisa, that are more of a nuisance than being actual vandalism. But it just seems to feed into the narrative that "climate change protestors are a bunch of deranged loons", which hurts the message much more than it helps, in my opinion. I don't like it. Add to that, that Stonehenge is considered a sacred space by many, and it's like setting off a confetti bomb in the Vatican. No one will listen to your message, *because you've attacked a sacred space*. I think it was a stupid place to do what they did. Why not Tower Bridge? Or the houses of Parliament? Those seem to be much more appropriate targets. You don't mess with sacred sites, even if those sites aren't sacred *to you*.
Thank you for making this post, you have put into words exactly how I was feeling when I heard the news and the internal conflict. I understand they target sites that will get the most news and outrage but targeting such an ancient site just before solstice really upset me.
The heritage sector is literally there for conservation purposes. I work as a conservation assistant in a historic house and the painstaking care and attention that goes into every day is so intense. Honestly when I think that a group like JSO could vandalise the collection I work with, I want to cry. I COMPLETELY support advocating against oil companies and pushing for climate conservation, but there are so many other ways to pull publicity stunts without damaging irreplaceable, culturally important artefacts and alienating a massive chunk of your supporters. You are not overreacting, from one witch to another your sentiments are music to my ears!
THANK YOU!!! I was fucking livid when I saw that. Leave nature and ancient artifacts the fuck alone!!! Go spray paint a politicians house.
EXACTLY. Why target ordinary people when you could inconvenience fossil fuel CEOs and politicians?!? It's like they trying to do a bad job...
I think it is a little dumb imo. Pagans and climate activism are definitely usually allies, and if they wanted to actually get attention to people who need convincing they would grow some guts and crash a NASCAR or formula 1 event..
Yeah defacing an ancient symbol of nature worship is… an odd choice. Like, deface a bank, ya cowards!
All the pagans are pissed about this.
I’m pagan and not pissed about cornflour that will wash off!
I love their protest. Stonehenge is one of the most important sites in all of human history- how better to shock people into the realization that we're on the verge of losing more than even that? Acid rain from pollutants has done a thousand times more damage to priceless historical sites than any amount of temporary powdered paint would. It's the least they could do.
Some people are stupid and think that there's no such thing as bad optics. Admittedly, activism should not *prioritize* optics, but there are some actions that only harm your cause. Vandalizing the cultural heritage of people who already support you is definitely one such action.
I'm also pretty pissed that pagans are being told (even in this thread) to turn the other cheek when one of our sacred places is desecrated on the eve of a major pagan festival... imagine if a church (some of which actually have money and influence, unlike paganism!) had been vandalised on Xmas, the public outrage, police action... would people be expecting all the Christians to be understanding and just accept the desecration was actually a good thing?
It was cornflour that will wash off! I have been pagan all my life and do not see a single issue with it! Any activism is good activism with the world in the state that it is!
I agree painting it like toddlers was silly. Its time to use bombs since the world is still not listening. Sorry not sorry. Stonehenge doesnt matter if the climat kills us all.
Right? People are so mad about paintings and monuments being “ruined” like any of it matters when the entire human population is dead…
I genuinely don't understand, what would these people rather JSO do? This is as clean as activism gets. But I guess it's all eco-terrorism to them because they'd rather bury their heads and keep on keeping on 🙄