Climate change protesters threw tomato soup over Vincent van Gogh’s iconic “Sunflowers” painting in London’s National Gallery, videos online Friday showed.
The group which wants the British government to halt new oil and gas projects, said its activists dumped two cans of Heinz tomato soup over the oil painting.
According to the London Metropolitan Police, two protestors from the group were detained for criminal trespass and aggravated trespass after they “threw a substance over a painting,” according to AFP.
A video clip shows two activists dumping tomato soup over one of the most well-known pieces of art in the whole world while wearing T-shirts reading “Just Stop Oil.” Oh my God was shouted in the background, and “Security?” was shouted by another person.
The two activists dripped substantial amounts of super adhesive on their hands, pulled out two tubes, and started glueing themselves to the wall.
“Which is more valuable, life or art? Are the preservation of a picture or the preservation of our world and its inhabitants more important to you? “Asks her.
The 1888 painting “Sunflowers” by Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh is valued at $84.2 million. It was unclear at first if the painting is covered with glass.
Targeting museum pieces of art has been a popular strategy used by Just Stop Oil to get attention. Their activists attached themselves to the frames of John Constable’s “The Hay Wain” in the National Gallery and Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in July.
During the two weeks of protests, activists have also stopped bridges and intersections all around London, according to the AP.
In spite of protests from environmentalists and scientists who claim the action contradicts the nation’s commitment to combating climate change, the British government has opened a fresh licencing cycle for North Sea oil and gas development.
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