Press "PandaGuides" above to follow us!
Two of Vincent van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” paintings were once again targeted by climate activists, just hours after members of the group Just Stop Oil were sentenced for a similar incident in 2022. On Friday, three activists from the same organization threw soup at the famous artworks in London’s National Gallery. Fortunately, no damage was done to the paintings, which were protected by a screen, and the activists were quickly arrested.
This latest protest comes on the heels of a high-profile sentencing of two Just Stop Oil activists, Phoebe Plummer and Anna Holland, who had carried out the same stunt last year. The pair threw tomato soup at a “Sunflowers” painting and then glued themselves to the gallery wall. Plummer, now 23, received a two-year prison sentence for criminal damage, with an additional three months for interfering with national infrastructure. Holland was sentenced to 20 months. Both had pleaded not guilty, with Plummer arguing she was being made a political prisoner - an assertion dismissed by the judge.
The 2022 incident caused an estimated $13,000 worth of damage to the frame of the painting, though the artwork itself remained unharmed and was put back on display the same day. The judge condemned the activists, stating that their actions demonstrated "arrogance" and deserved strong punishment.
The protests are part of a larger wave of demonstrations against oil and gas expansion, with Just Stop Oil leading the charge. There has been a crackdown on such movements across Britain and Europe. In July, five members of the group were sentenced to at least four years in prison for conspiring to block London’s M25 highway, marking the longest sentences ever given for a non-violent protest in Britain.
Friday’s attack, which also targeted a Van Gogh painting on loan, further highlights the tension between environmental activists and authorities. Despite the arrests, the message from Just Stop Oil remains clear: they believe drastic action is necessary to halt the expansion of fossil fuels.
Source: Reuters
