climate change

Climate Activists Try to Deface Van Gogh Painting, Then Glue Themselves to the Wall

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Two members of a London environmental activist group, Just Stop Oil, threw two cans of tomato soup at Vincent van Gogh’s famous “Sunflowers” painting on Friday morning. Afterward, the protestors glued their hands to the wall. The painting is located at London’s National Gallery.

The group issued a statement demanding the U.K. government stop all new oil and gas projects, according to CBS News.

In the tweet below, the group blamed the oil and gas industry for today’s record inflation and the current climate crisis. They asked, “Is art worth more than life? More than food? More than justice?”

The incident was recorded by the museum’s surveillance cameras.

The gallery published a statement on Twitter which read, “At just after 11 am this morning two people entered Room 43 of the National Gallery. The pair appeared to glue themselves to the wall adjacent to Van Gogh’s Sunflowers (1888). They also threw a red substance – what appears to be tomato soup – over the painting.

“The room was cleared of visitors and police were called. Officers are now on the scene. There is some minor damage to the frame but the painting is unharmed.

They added that the protestors had been arrested.

According to Reuters, a later tweet said, “Specialist officers have now un-glued them and they have been taken into custody at a central London police station.”

The Metropolitan Police charged the protestors with aggravated trespass and criminal damage.

Reuters reported that the group estimates the value of the painting at over $84 million.

BBC News confirmed with the National Gallery that, fortunately, the painting is covered by glass, therefore the canvas was not damaged.

So, it looks like the group went to an awful lot of trouble for nothing.

In the video below, the pair are captured on camera. As soup drips off the painting behind him, they are seen feverishly slathering their hands with glue to attach themselves to the wall. Gasps from bystanders can be heard in the background. One man is heard calling for security.

CBS reported that Just Stop Oil members staged a similar stunt in June. Two protestors glued themselves to another van Gogh work, “Peach Trees Blossom,” which depicts the French region of Provence to call attention to climate change. The painting is located at London’s Courtauld Gallery.

 

A previous version of this article appeared in The Western Journal.

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