Climate protesters vandalize van Goghs Sunflowers same day soup-tossing nuts jailed for causing $13K worth of damage to masterpiece
From throwing cans of soup to being thrown in the can.Two paintings in Vincent van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” series were damaged by soup-tossing climate protesters in London Friday — in response to a pair of eco-activists being sentenced to prison for using the same tactic to deface the famed artwork two years earlier.Three disruptors wearing T-shirts emblazoned with “Just Stop Oil,” a radical environmental group, showed up to the National Gallery to deface “Sunflowers” — an act they proudly posted video of on social media.
They also appeared to use tomato soup in an homage to their fellow Just Stop Oil comrades Phoebe Plummer, 23, and Anna Holland, 22, who were sentenced earlier in the day for throwing cans of Heinz tomato soup at the 19th-century masterpieces during a 2022 climate protest.“There are people in prison for demanding an end to new oil and gas, something which is now government policy,” one of the soup nuts declared as shocked museumgoers watched Friday’s scene unfold.
“Future generations will regard these prisoners of conscience [that were] on the right side of history.”Museum officials say the “Sunflowers” paintings, from 1888 and 1889, were undamaged in this newest stunt.It’s unclear if the latest culinary-minded vandals will be charged with a crime.Plummer and Holland reportedly caused $13,000 worth of damage to one of the paintings, and museum officials at the time feared the painting would be permanently damaged.
The pair of greenhearts also glued their hands to the floor and wall as part of the demonstration.As the broth still dripped from the plastic protection of the famed painting, the two eco-warriors — clad in “Just Stop Oil” shirts — shouted in French, “What is more important? Art or the right to have a healthy and sustainable food system?”Courts in England answered Friday as Plummer was given a two-year sentence and Holland 20 months in the clink.They were found guilty of criminal damage by a j...