Climate activists from Just Stop Oil vandalized the grave of British naturalist Charles Darwin in Westminster Abbey, London, on Monday.
Two activists entered Westminster Abbey—a historic site of royal weddings, coronations, burials, and a major UK tourist attraction—on Monday morning and spray-painted Darwin’s grave. Using orange paint, they inscribed “1.5 is dead” on the white marble tombstone. The message references recent reports that global temperatures in 2024 have, for the first time, exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
“We have passed the 1.5 degree threshold that was supposed to keep us safe. Darwin would be turning in his grave to know we are in the midst of the sixth mass extinction,” said one of the activists.
Darwin, best known for his theory of evolution by natural selection, died in 1882 and is buried in Westminster Abbey’s Scientists’ Corner, near Isaac Newton and Stephen Hawking.
The Abbey confirmed the incident in a statement.
“The Abbey’s conservators are taking immediate action to clean the memorial and do not anticipate that there will be any permanent damage,” said a spokesperson. “The police were called to the scene and dealt with the incident. The Abbey remains open for visiting and worshipping,” she added.
London’s Metropolitan Police reported that two women were arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage to Westminster Abbey. They were taken to a central London police station for further questioning.
