
Anti-oil activists try to break into Magna Carta display as part of climate protest
By Jack Aylmer (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Jake Maslo (Video Editor)
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Two climate activists reportedly tried to break the glass case containing the Magna Carta, which is believed to be the founding documents for Western democracy. At the British Library on Friday, May 10, the women used a hammer and chisel to pound at the glass. However, the pair caused only minor damage to the case and the historic document was untouched.
The women pounded the glass in the name of fighting climate change. They belong to the group called Just Stop Oil — a group looking to end the world’s reliance on fossil fuels. The women, Rev. Sue Parfitt and Judy Bruce, a retired biology teacher, released a statement in response to the incident.

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“The Magna Carta is rightly revered, being of great importance to our history, to our freedoms and to our laws,” the statement said. “But there will be no freedom, no lawfulness, no rights, if we allow climate breakdown to become the catastrophe that is now threatened.”
A security team was able to stop the women and police arrested them. The gallery was closed until further notice on Friday.
This isn’t the only incident of vandalism involving climate activists targeting historical pieces. In January, protesters splattered soup on the glass guarding the Mona Lisa in Paris.
Just Stop Oil is known for disruptions across Britain raise awareness about climate change.
[JACK AYLMER]
TWO WOMEN IN THEIR 80S TRIED TO BREAK THE GLASS CASE CONTAINING THE MAGNA CARTA THE BRITISH LIBRARY IN LONDON FRIDAY.
THE PAIR, BOTH ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS, POUNDED ON THE GLASS WITH A HAMMER AND CHISEL.
ALL IN THE NAME OF FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE, ACCORDING TO THE TWO WOMEN.
THE PROTESTERS WITH “JUST STOP OIL”–
A GROUP LOOKING TO END THE WORLD’S RELIANCE ON FOSSIL FUELS.
THE WOMEN, REVEREND SUE PARFITT AND JUDY BRUCE, A RETIRED BIOLOGY TEACHER, RELEASED A STATEMENT ON THE INCIDENT, SAYING, QUOTE:
“THE MAGNA CARTA IS RIGHTLY REVERED, BEING OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO OUR HISTORY, TO OUR FREEDOMS AND TO OUR LAWS. BUT THERE WILL BE NO FREEDOM, NO LAWFULNESS, NO RIGHTS, IF WE ALLOW CLIMATE BREAKDOWN TO BECOME THE CATASTROPHE THAT IS NOW THREATENED.”
A SECURITY TEAM STOPPED THE WOMEN EVENTUALLY.
THE MAGNA CARTA, CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LEGAL DOCUMENTS IN THE HISTORY OF WESTERN DEMOCRACY, REMAINED UNTOUCHED.
IN ALL JUST MINOR DAMAGE TO THE CASE, IT LIES IN.
THE TWO ACTIVISTS WERE ARRESTED.
THE GALLERY IS NOW CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
THIS ISN’T THE ONLY INSTANCE OF CLIMATE ACTIVISTS TARGETING HISTORICAL PIECES.
IN JANUARY, PROTESTERS SPLATTERED SOUP ON THE GLASS GUARDING THE MONA LISA IN PARIS.
“JUST STOP OIL” IS KNOWN FOR DISRUPTIONS ACROSS BRITAIN TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.
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