Two climate activists charged with spraying paint on UK's Stonehenge

LONDON (Reuters) - Two environmental protesters who sprayed paint on Britain's Stonehenge in June have been charged with offences related to the alleged damage caused to the prehistoric megalithic monument, prosecutors said on Thursday.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it had authorised the police to charge the protesters, 73-year-old Naidu Rajan and Niamh Lynch, 22, and that they would appear in court on Dec. 13.

In a separate statement, the police said the pair, from the Just Stop Oil environmental group, were charged with destroying or damaging a protected monument with the orange powder paint they had sprayed on it, and causing a public nuisance.

Stonehenge, one of Britain's most visited tourist spots located in southern England, holds spiritual significance and attracts thousands of revellers, spiritualists and tourists during the summer solstice - the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.

Members of the public were able to walk around within the stone circle until 1977 when it was fenced off due to concerns over damage from a sharp rise in the number of visitors.

Just Stop Oil has gained prominence in Britain for disruptive environmental protests, with its activists shutting down major roads, disrupting cultural and sporting events and even throwing soup at a Van Gogh painting.

(Reporting by Catarina Demony; Editing by Michael Holden)