Solstice not so peaceful

9:51am Friday 22nd June 2007

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Its funny as most news stories only covers parts of the story......this is what i read and saw after being there at Stonehenge myself and seeing News reports.

I have written to the English Heritage for the second year running to complain about the disgraceful behavior of the open access for the celebration of Litha.

It is a travesty that a sacred monument can be treated in this way.

Many people from around the world came to view the sunrise and see how England celebrates this occasion.

Speaking to many foreigners and fellow spiritual people....they were appalled to find what was happening.

Not only where people yet again standing on the stones and trying to take a little home with them...But the binge drinking of party goers and the foul language ruined it to a degree, people would not even go in the stone circle.

People where drunk to the extent that they couldn't walk....bodies every where...........drugs being sold freely and people looking for acid, speed and weed where shouting without a care for the police and steward presence.

The stewards where trying their best to keep people from the stones, but there was not enough stewards around the stones to be able to protect them.

Not only that, but the walk to and from the stones had NO steward presence so this was a area of pushing, shoving, insult throwing, buying drugs, having open sex, exposing ones self to urinate in front of others and just a intimidating area. The stewards where at the beginning of the walk and end.

We saw one gentleman who had been hit in his face and had blood coming down his nose from a confrontation.

There where 24 thousand people who attended and only 4 arrests, that is because MOST people just let things go and took the behavior of others.

This isn't what Stone henge and open access should be like is it?

My 15 year old daughter was sexually harassed and touched up whilst in the stone circle.......we was hit and bashed in to and this wasn't just with in the circle.

We was insulted and pushed about by fellow Party goers.

85% of the people there thought that open access was for a huge party and nothing else. They had no regard for why there was open access, what the stones were or why many people whom they said where in "costumes" where there.

I have been under the understanding that the English heritage had give OPEN ACCESS for a spiritual nature to let Wiccan's/Pagans, Druids and the like to celebrate Litha/summer solstice as we consider Stone Henge our sacred alter.

If I was to go to a nightclub I wouldn't be as worried for our safety...here ...we were witness to people having sex in the fields...drug users.....people so drunk that couldn't even stand.....violence and the threat of violence.......

Even after speaking to many druids and Wiccan's there, many of them had been insulted and ask why they where there dressed in costume as its a party for glastonbury NOT what in fact the English heritage had allowed access for all those years ago.

What will it take for the English heritage to finally act and do something about this disgraceful spectacle? A stabbing? A murder?

RULES ARE not FOLLOWED...AND WE WITNESSED even the stewards letting people off with the so called rules following...lit fires.....amplified music......drugs......glass bottles which where smashed.........Boy racers in the car park..............

What must visitors that come to one of the most scared sites in England think.?

We met people who had come from Australia and the USA and they said it was disgraceful and they wouldn't have come if they knew there was no respect and would have to worry for there safety.

Many of the people who you supposing gave access for to celebrate will not even attend the stones now due to the atmosphere here.

How can that be right?

Why does Glastonbury festival have to coincide with Litha? The 21st of June?

Surely this would be one way of stopping the disgraceful behavior?

Yule 21st December is so much better........people whom open access is for actually turn up and respect the stones......there are not the drunken louts that attend during Litha.

Surely one way around all of this would be to not allow alcohol ?

I really find it hard to understand how people are supposed to try and help make Stonehenge one of the 7 wonders of the world, when people are allowed to behave like this.

You wouldn't let a 2 year old child play with a 1600 valuable vase so why would you allow people like this to deface one of England's most sacred sites?

I asked these questions last year when I thought it was bad..and I was ignored via the English heritage...... This year was even worse..and I have photo's and video footage as proof.

Nicola Hampsey