Three Just Stop Oil activists who took part in a protest in which Stonehenge was sprayed with orange powder have been found not guilty of criminal damage and causing a public nuisance.
It follows a trial at Salisbury Crown Court where they cited human rights law in their defence.
Then-Oxford University student Niamh Lynch, 23, and Rajan Naidu, 74, had been accused of using two colour blasters filled with cornflour, talc and an orange dye to spray the monument.
Salisbury Crown Court was told the pair â along with a third activist, Luke Watson, 36 â targeted Stonehenge as part of an ongoing fossil fuel protest by the Just Stop Oil group the day before the 2024 summer solstice.
About 15,000 people were due to gather and celebrate at the monument.
Naidu and Lynch had crossed the boundary ropes and trespassed into the area around the monument before launching the attack.
Watson had bought the equipment used in the attack and had driven his co-accused to Stonehenge that morning.
Prosecutors alleged the protest had been âcarefully plannedâ and was filmed by other Just Stop Oil supporters and released publicly afterwards.
Simon Jones, prosecuting, said: âPutting it simply, we say they were all in it together.
âThe prosecution say that this is an act of blatant and clear vandalism. The intention is undoubtedly to make a statement.â
After the attack, Naidu and Lynch, who were both wearing white Just Stop Oil t-shirts, sat down in silence in front of the stones until they were arrested by the police.
The court heard the stones were promptly cleaned. The costs of removing the powder totalled ÂŁ620.
Mr Jones added: âStonehenge is arguably the best recognised and architecturally sophisticated prehistoric stone circle in the world, built around 5,000 years ago.
âThe site in Wiltshire is visited by members of the public from all over the world, providing both an education and spiritual experience.
âThe stones are a protected ancient monument.â
The three defendants each denied charges of damaging an ancient protected monument and causing a public nuisance on June 19 2024.
The latter is a new statutory offence created by the 2022 Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, which sparked a wave of Kill the Bill protests across the country.
They each accepted taking part in the protest and cited in their defence âreasonable excuseâ, and their rights under Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights to freedom of speech and freedom to protest.
The defendants argued it was a peaceful protest, that the rights of others were not âgreatly interfered withâ, that care had been taken in choosing the type of powder to use, there was no lasting damage to the stones and that protesting about fossil fuels was a legitimate cause.
Judge Paul Dugdale told the jury in his legal directions they had to assess where the âbalance liesâ in the case and whether a conviction would be a âproportionate interferenceâ with the defendantsâ rights.
âIn any society there will be those whose opinions we agree with and those whose opinions we disagree,â he said.
âThe essence of a free society and freedom of speech is that everyoneâs entitled to express their opinion even when we disagree with what they say.
âIf individuals disagree with what our Government is doing on certain matters they are entitled to protest about the Governmentâs actions or inactions.
âAll of this is the essence of our free society. Itâs how our society has developed over the centuries and the reality is we are very fortunate to live in a free society.
âThere are times when protecting the right to freedom of speech and freedom to protest can mean that activity that would otherwise be unlawful would be regarded as lawful by the court to protect those rights.â
The jury found Naidu, of Gosford Street, Birmingham; Lynch, of Norfolk Road, Turvey, Bedford; and Watson, of The Street, Manuden, Essex, each not guilty of the two charges after deliberating for six hours.
