The activists asked gallery goers, ‘what is worth more, art or life?’
Just Stop Oil activists have thrown soup over a priceless painting by Vincent Van Gogh in the National Gallery.
The activists entered the central London gallery around 11am Friday, and hurled the liquid – two tins of Heinz tomato soup – over the Dutch master’s iconic ‘Sunflowers’ painting and then glued themselves to the wall, in the latest of a series of environmental protests the group has undertaken.
The painting, from 1888 and with an estimated value of £72.5m, is covered with a layer of glass, so it is not thought to have suffered any permanent damage.
🚨 Just Stop Oil protestors have thrown tomato soup on Van Gogh’s Sunflowers at the National Gallery pic.twitter.com/LkJpar1SVv
— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) October 14, 2022
“What is worth more, art or life? … are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?”@JustStop_Oil’s activists explain their action pic.twitter.com/mGNZIO6RbK
— Damien Gayle (@damiengayle) October 14, 2022
After chucking the soup at the painting, one of the protesters, named by Sky News as 21-year-old Phoebe Plummer, then shouted: “What is worth more? Art or life?
“Is it worth more than food? “More than justice?
It’s the 14th day of demonstrations linked to the group – which wants the government to stop all new oil and gas licences. The group’s activists have been blocking roads around parliament and elsewhere in London in the last few days, with police removing 20 of them from a central London road on Thursday.
Last Sunday, police said that more than 100 people had been arrested after a weekend of protest-related activity by environmental groups.
Plummer continued: “Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting, or the protection of our planet and people? “The cost-of-living crisis is part of the cost of oil crisis.”
Another of the Just Stop Oil protesters added: “UK families will be forced to choose between heating or eating this winter, as fossil fuel companies reap record profits.
“But the cost of oil and gas isn’t limited to our bills. “Somalia is now facing an apocalyptic famine, caused by drought and fuelled by the climate crisis. “Millions are being forced to move and tens of thousands face starvation.
“This is the future we choose for ourselves if we push for new oil and gas.”
Onlookers were heard exclaiming, “oh my gosh” and calling for security as the protest unfolded.
Visitors were quickly escorted out by security, who then shut the doors to room 43 of the gallery where the painting hangs.
Police arrested two people for criminal damage.
In a tweet from the Metropolitan Police Events account, the force said: “Officers were rapidly on scene at the National Gallery this morning after two Just Stop Oil protesters threw a substance over a painting and then glued themselves to a wall.
On their website, Just Stop Oil writes: “The scientific evidence is unequivocal: climate change is a threat to human wellbeing and the health of the planet. “Any further delay in concerted global action will miss a brief and rapidly closing window to secure a liveable future”.
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