Just Stop Oil activists throw soup on Vincent Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’ London’s National Gallery
Two activists of the Just Stop Oil group have attempted to ruin one of Vincent Van Gogh‘s ‘Sunflowers’ at the National Gallery by throwing tins of Heinz tomato soup of the highly-revered painting.
The pair have been identified as Phoebe Plummer and Anna Holland, both of whom entered the National Gallery at 11am this morning, sporting Just Stop Oil T-shirts. Soon after, they threw two tins worth of soup over the painting, which is said to be worth an estimated $84.2 million.
Following this, Plummer and Holland glued themselves to the wall underneath the painting. Officers from the Metropolitan police soon arrived at the gallery and arrested the pair on account of criminal damage and aggravated trespass. Several officers have been trying to unstick the activist duo from the wall.
After lobbing her soup at the painting, Plummer was captured on film, saying, “What is worth more? Art or life? Is it worth more than food? Worth more than justice? 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. Fuel is unaffordable to millions of cold, hungry families. They can’t even afford to heat a tin of soup.”
A spokesperson for the National Gallery said, “At just after 11am 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.”
It’s day fourteen of demonstrations across London that have been linked to the group. They have been blocking roads around Parliament, and it has been estimated that over 100 people have been arrested over the weekend.
