Video: Activists throw tomato soup on Van Gogh's Sunflowers in London museum
Two activists protesting against fossil fuel threw tomato soup on Vincent van Gogh’s masterpiece Sunflowers (1888) at the National Gallery in London on Friday. They then glued themselves to the museum’s wall.
The incident happened just after 11:00 a.m., the museum said in a statement. “There was some minor damage to the frame, but the painting is unharmed,” the museum said, “Two people have been arrested.”
The activists were part of Just Stop Oil, a group trying to get the UK government to stop investing in oil and gas. The group posted a video of the incident on social media.
🥫 JUST STOP OIL SUPPORTERS CHOOSE LIFE OVER ART 🥫
— Just Stop Oil (@JustStop_Oil) October 14, 2022
🎨 Human creativity and brilliance is on show in this gallery, yet our heritage is being destroyed by our Government’s failure to act on the climate and cost of living crisis.#VanGogh #FreeLouis #FreeJosh #CivilResistance pic.twitter.com/gXXGLsi0ej
"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 the painting, or the protection of our planet and people?" one of the activists said after they glued themselves to the wall. "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. Meanwhile, crops are failing. Millions of people are dying in monsoons, wildfires, and severe droughts. We cannot afford new oil and gas. It is going to take everything we know and love," she continued. It is unclear why they targeted the Van Gogh painting in particular.
“Human creativity and brilliance is on show in this gallery, yet our heritage is being destroyed by our Government’s failure to act on the climate and cost of living crisis,” Just Stop Oil said on Instagram. “Why are we protecting these paintings when we are not protecting the millions of lives that will be lost due to climate and societal collapse?”
