Two climate activists in their 80s have targeted the Magna Carta at the British Library. Reverend Dr Sue Parfitt, 82, and Judy Bruce, an 85-year-old retired biology teacher, entered the library and tried to smash the glass case protecting the historic document using a lump hammer and chisel. The pair, from the Just Stop Oil protest group, then held up a sign which stated: 'The government is breaking the law'.
Rev Parfitt said: '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.' In a statement, the British Library confirmed two people had 'attacked the toughened glass case' containing the landmark charter in its treasures gallery.