Three members of the climate activism group "Just Stop Oil" made headlines Friday by throwing soup on two of Vincent Van Gogh's iconic “Sunflower” paintings at the National Gallery in London.
All Arested
This incident comes just hours after two other activists from the same group were sentenced to prison for a similar protest in 2022.
The activists targeted the “Sunflower” paintings owned by the National Gallery, including one that was borrowed from the Philadelphia Museum of Art for a temporary exhibition. Fortunately, the paintings were unharmed, and the gallery confirmed that all three individuals were arrested following the incident, according to Hotnews.
The timing of this protest is particularly notable, as it occurred shortly after 23-year-old Phoebe Plummer and 22-year-old Anna Holland received sentences for throwing soup on a Van Gogh artwork in October 2022.
Awareness About Climate Change
During that incident, the soup caused damage to the frame worth up to £10,000 ($13,385), though the painting was behind protective glass and remained undamaged. It was put back on display later that same day.
Plummer and Holland had pleaded not guilty, but the judge, Christopher Hehir, emphasized the seriousness of their actions, stating, “You simply did not have the right to do what you did, and your arrogance in thinking otherwise deserves the strongest condemnation.”
The protests organized by "Just Stop Oil" aim to raise awareness about climate change and demand an end to fossil fuel investments.
