Just Stop Oil Activists Cleared Over Stonehenge Protest
Three Just Stop Oil protesters were found not guilty of causing a public nuisance at Stonehenge last year. Rajan Naidu, 74, Niamh Lynch, 23, and Luke Watson, 36, targeted the prehistoric circle just days before the summer solstice, spraying orange powder onto the ancient stones using "colour blasters".
Their action was seen as an attempt to draw attention to the climate emergency, with the protesters arguing that their peaceful protest was justified. However, they faced charges including causing a public nuisance, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
Judge Dugdale told the jury that to find the defendants guilty, it would have meant that a conviction would be a "proportionate interference" with their right to freedom of expression and protest. He said: "If individuals disagree with what our government is doing on certain matters they are entitled to protest."
The prosecution argued that the protest did not need to take place at Stonehenge, which it claimed had no connection with the climate emergency. However, the defendants denied damaging an ancient protected monument and causing a public nuisance.
Speaking outside court, Naidu described the legislation as "highly repressive" and said: "We're going back to those times". He praised his fellow protesters, saying they were people of great integrity. All three defendants expressed pride in their actions and thanked the jury for its verdict.
The judge has recommended a worker who intervened in the protest be awarded a high sheriff's award for his bravery. The case is seen as an important test of the right to peaceful protest, with Francesca Cociani, the defendant's lawyer, stating: "It is a relief that the jury has decided to uphold the right to peaceful protest. It is a right that has long been, and should remain, an essential pillar of our democratic society."
Three Just Stop Oil protesters were found not guilty of causing a public nuisance at Stonehenge last year. Rajan Naidu, 74, Niamh Lynch, 23, and Luke Watson, 36, targeted the prehistoric circle just days before the summer solstice, spraying orange powder onto the ancient stones using "colour blasters".
Their action was seen as an attempt to draw attention to the climate emergency, with the protesters arguing that their peaceful protest was justified. However, they faced charges including causing a public nuisance, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
Judge Dugdale told the jury that to find the defendants guilty, it would have meant that a conviction would be a "proportionate interference" with their right to freedom of expression and protest. He said: "If individuals disagree with what our government is doing on certain matters they are entitled to protest."
The prosecution argued that the protest did not need to take place at Stonehenge, which it claimed had no connection with the climate emergency. However, the defendants denied damaging an ancient protected monument and causing a public nuisance.
Speaking outside court, Naidu described the legislation as "highly repressive" and said: "We're going back to those times". He praised his fellow protesters, saying they were people of great integrity. All three defendants expressed pride in their actions and thanked the jury for its verdict.
The judge has recommended a worker who intervened in the protest be awarded a high sheriff's award for his bravery. The case is seen as an important test of the right to peaceful protest, with Francesca Cociani, the defendant's lawyer, stating: "It is a relief that the jury has decided to uphold the right to peaceful protest. It is a right that has long been, and should remain, an essential pillar of our democratic society."
that these three Just Stop Oil activists were cleared over the Stonehenge protest 
can't believe they'd even be charged in the first place - I mean, wasn't that whole point to draw attention to climate change? 
and now it's clear that our courts actually value freedom of expression and peaceful protests 
judge Dugdale made a great call, especially when he said those protesters were just trying to express their opinions 
! I mean, can you imagine if they had gotten charged? It would have set a terrible precedent for free speech and protest rights in the UK. I totally get where they were coming from - we need more people speaking out about climate change and holding our leaders accountable 
. The fact that the judge explicitly stated that the defendants' right to freedom of expression and protest should be respected is just amazing 
. It's all about finding a balance between protecting ancient monuments and allowing people to express themselves peacefully. Kudos to Rajan, Niamh, Luke, and their supporters - I'm so proud of them for standing up for what they believe in 
I'm not surprised by this verdict, we need more people standing up for what they believe in 
It's crazy that just because it was done at Stonehenge, which is already super protected, the prosecution tried to make a big deal out of it 
They were using "colour blasters" not trying to cause any damage, it was more like art 
I think this verdict is a good sign for peaceful protests in the UK 
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. But in this case, the jury saw through that attempt and delivered a just verdict 
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. the prosecution was all like "stonehenge is off limits" and i'm over here thinking... isn't free speech meant to be protected? 
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Just can't believe the verdict in this Stonehenge case... I mean, spraying orange powder everywhere & causing a public nuisance? 
sounds like a total scene! But seriously, it's awesome that these three just stop oil activists were able to make their point without getting arrested or charged with anything major. I mean, they were actually pretty chill about it all too 
. Anyways, I'm kinda glad this whole thing got sorted out without any major consequences for them... but can we talk about how amazing it is that we have a right to peaceful protest in the first place? 
It's such an important part of our democratic society!