Just Stop Oil protesters charged over spray-paint on Charles Darwin’s grave

Charles Darwin's grave with '1.5 is dead' spray-painted on it in orange Credit: PA Media

Two women have been charged with criminal damage and will appear in court after halk paint was sprayed on Charles Darwin’s grave in Westminster Abbey.

The Metropolitan Police said they were arrested after a substance, believed to be a powdered paint, was sprayed on an area inside Westminster Abbey.

Environmental campaign group Just Stop Oil said Alyson Lee, 66, a retired teaching assistant from Derby, and Di Bligh, a 77-year-old former chief executive of Reading Council from Frome in Somerset, were at the Abbey on Monday.They have both been charged with criminal damage and bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on separate dates next month - Lee on February 11 and Bligh on February 12.

The words “1.5 is dead” were written in orange on the 19th century biologist’s grave on Monday, referring to attempts to limit global warming to 1.5C and reduce the impact of climate change.On Monday, a spokesperson for the church said they do not anticipate there will be any permanent damage caused by the protest.

The Westminster Abbey spokesperson said: “The Abbey’s conservators are taking immediate action to clean the memorial and do not anticipate that there will be any permanent damage."