Activists of “Just Stop Oil” glue their hands to the wall after throwing soup at a van Gogh’s painting “Sunflowers” on the National Gallery in London, Britain October 14, 2022.Â
Just Stop Oil | Reuters
The climate activists who threw soup over Vincent Van Gogh’s famous “Sunflowers” painting on Saturday appeared in a London court on charges of criminal damages, several outlets reported.
The 2 women were protesting as a part of the campaign group Just Stop Oil, they usually pleaded not guilty on the Westminster Magistrates’ Court during two temporary hearings.
After dumping two cans of tomato soup over the Van Gogh oil painting Friday, the protesters also glued themselves to the gallery wall. They were removed by specialists and brought into custody, in accordance with the London Metropolitan Police.
A spokesperson for the National Gallery confirmed that there was no damage to the painting, which is one in all the long-lasting versions of “Sunflowers” that Van Gogh painted within the late Eighteen Eighties. It has an estimated value of $80.99 million.
“There’s some minor damage to the frame however the painting is unharmed,” the spokesperson told CNBC. The painting was covered by glass, and it was cleaned and returned to the National Gallery Friday afternoon.
Just Stop Oil has been protesting in London for the past two weeks, and the group said in a press release that its actions were “in response to the federal government’s inaction on each the price of living crisis and the climate crisis.”
“What’s value more, art or life? Is it value greater than food? Price greater than justice? Are you more concerned in regards to the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and folks?” one activist said in a video of the event.
Just Stop Oil has received widespread criticism from environmental groups and politicians from the opposition Labour Party following the protest.
