Stonehenge News – Surprise Stonehenge Protester Verdict in Salisbury Court
1st November 2025
Here at Best Value Tours and Backpacker Tours with our Owner/CEO lifelong association with Stonehenge. You will find more information about this below and some amazing original pics taken by our owner, not seen before. Pics taken actually within the Stone circle at Stonehenge, including at Sunrise and Sunset – please see bottom of post, we continue our Stonehenge News series. With thanks to local Salisbury and Avon Gazette for their great coverage of this somewhat surprising verdict (please see extract below).
Stonehenge Protesters Found Not Guilty of Criminal Damage
In a dramatic conclusion to a high-profile case, three activists were acquitted yesterday after spraying orange dye over the ancient and iconic stone monument/temple. They attacked on the eve of last year’s summer solstice, when around 25,000 visitors were expected to gather the following day for the Sunset/Sunrise Summer Solstice Celebrations at Stonehenge.
Rajan Naidu, Niamh Lynch and Luke Watson, used colour blasters filled with cornflour, talc, and orange dye to dose the mystical monument in orange dye, images that rapidly spread around the world.
Should such a beautifully spiritual and peaceful monument have been targeted, in what was a relatively peaceful protest with good intent?
The three denied charges of damaging a protected monument and causing a public nuisance, arguing their actions were protected under their human rights to free speech and protest.
The jury at Salisbury Crown Court found all three not guilty after what has been described as somewhat ‘leading instructions’ by the Judge, which may well be considered at appeal. In law it seems an odd direction and seems could be biased in favour of ‘free speech’ debates.
Our question; should such a beautifully spiritual and peaceful monument have been targeted, in what was a relatively peaceful protest with good intent?
Contact Us
Our friendly and truly knowledgeable/experienced agents will be delighted to help you find your perfect tour and best discount.
For up to an extra up to 30% discount of many multi-day tours, Call or WhatsApp us on:
Call +44 (0)20 7170 5878 WhatsApp +44 (0)74 1497 1573
Email us at enquiries@bestvaluetours.co.uk or enquries@backpackertours.co.uk
Or go to our website www.bestvaluetours.co.uk or www.backpackertours.co.uk where you can live text with us (message service available 24 hours a day, live text during normal working hours). Site messengers Best Value Tours Contact | Best Value Tours or Backpacker Tours Contact – Backpacker Tours
To Book Stonehenge Tours
Please click on secure links below for full details on all options and if you choose book and immediately receive your e-ticket
- Stonehenge, Windsor and Bath with flexible entrances, include or exclude
- More Stonehenge, Windsor and Bath with flexible entrances, include or exclude
- Windsor, Stonehenge, Lacock in the Cotswolds, Bath and lunch in Historic Inn
- More Stonehenge, Windsor and Bath
- Small Group, Stonehenge, Windsor and Bath
- Extended Stonehenge and Bath
- Morning/Afternoon Stonehenge Express
- Morning/Afternoon Windsor Express
- Day trip to Bath by Train
- Day trip to Windsor by Train
- Stonehenge Inner Circle and Windsor Castle
- Stonehenge Inner Circle and Windsor Town
- Stonehenge Inner Circle, Lacock and Bath
More Christmas/New year and all year round Stonehenge and Day Tours
Christmas Day 4 Course Traditional Lunch on Thames River Cruise or option that also includes Panoramic Tour of London
More Christmas Day Tour in London
Out of London Christmas Day Tours
London Tours | Best Value Tours
Or Contact Us
Our friendly and knowledgeable agents will be delighted to help you find your perfect tour and best discount.
For up to an extra up to 30% discount of many multi-day tours, Call or WhatsApp us on:
Call +44 (0)20 7170 5878 WhatsApp +44 (0)74 1497 1573
Email us at enquiries@bestvaluetours.co.uk
Or go to our website www.bestvaluetours.co.uk where you can live text with us (message service available 24 hours a day, live text during normal working hours)
Also for more alternatives and for our younger audience 18-35 or young at heart, please visit our Sister Brand Site Backpackertours – www.backpackertours.co.uk
Recommended as Stonehenge Experts
Here at Tour Surfer, home to Best Value Tours and Backpacker Tours, we are proud of our Owner and Principal British Olympian Paul Harmsworth. Paul developed our exceptional and entirely free Stonehenge Customer Service, from his great personal passion of Stonehenge. From as a young child spending time playing at the stones and picnicking, visiting with his family as his grandparents lived close by in Amesbury. A passion much indulged with a 2 year spell working at Stonehenge, a time he remembers most fondly around 20 years ago and 18 years since, helping 1000’s of guests get the best Stonehenge experience possible.
When Paul first visited Stonehenge in the 1960’s, it was very different than today. Firstly, Wiltshire back then was very rural and very quite. As time went on and the road networks developed; Wiltshire’s wealth of ancient and more recent historic histories, all set in a region of outstanding natural beauty, became more accessible to visitors. Thus evolved to the iconic and mystical region visited by many each year, taking away lasting wonderful memories.
Stonehenge has somewhat of a varied history of fences, no fences, charging for entrance and not charging. Fortunately a period around 1963-1977 when Paul was young, Stonehenge was completely open, no fences, no staff or security. Was a popular destination for locals for summer weekend picnics of which Paul has warm memories.
Here are some personal pics of Paul’s, all he personally took at Stonehenge, Sunrise 20th June 2008 and Sunset 22nd June 2008. You will note the sun still perfectly aligns with the stones at Sunrise and Sunset as this is the wonderous Summer Solstice. Plus some other pics the week before of special solstice visitors and later that year, filming at Stonehenge and some randoms. A rare insight indeed and we are privileged to see here.
First x3 pics taken at Sunrise 20th June 2008, the day before the actual Solstice Sunrise, but the alignment of the Solstice Sun is clear as sun light beams into Stonehenge before landing on the Alter Stone.
Starting
Nearly there
Hooray Sunrise
Sunset at Stonehenge
sunset taken from the Stone Circle
Next a few of behind the scenes filming at Stonehenge
A snowy Stonehenge
Aricholigical surveying at Stonehenge
Druids celebrate at Solstice
The grass still needs cutting even at Stonehenge