Environmental advocates face incarceration for dishARming soup-tossing actions
Two environmental advocates, aged 23 and 22, are currently serving prison terms of two years and 20 months each. This penalty stems from their act of throwing tomato soup at the celebrated Sunflowers painting by Vincent van Gogh, which hangs at the National Gallery in London, two years ago. Fortunately, the painting itself was shielded by a protective glass casing and remained undamaged, though the frame sustained some harm.
The duo, who are members of the Just Stop Oil group, staged this act of protest in October 2022. They hurled soup from a can and then knelt in front of the artwork, with their hands glued to the wall as a form of protest. At the beginning of their trial, they denied any wrongdoing.
A London court found them guilty of criminal damage in July 2023. The judge argued that the soup could have seeped through the glass and caused significant damage to the painting. He laid the blame at their feet, stating, "They had no right to tamper with the Sunflowers." Previously, the same judge had sealed the fate of other Just Stop Oil activists with lengthy prison sentences for disrupting traffic on the M25.
As reported by The Guardian, a group of over 100 artists, curators, and art historians have intervened, pleading for the activists' jail sentences to be reconsidered. The Just Stop Oil movement speaks out for more decisive climate action, having previously pressured the UK government to stop issuing new licenses for oil and gas extraction. One of the women questioned, "Is art more vital than life? More important than sustenance? More significant than justice?" The estimated repair cost for the painting's damaged frame lies between £5,000 and £10,000 (approximately €6,000 and €12,000).
The European Union expressed concern over the lengthy prison sentences for the environmental advocates, citing their right to freedom of expression and peaceful protest. The activists, affiliated with the Just Stop Oil group, have gained support from various artists, curators, and art historians across Europe, who have urged for a reconsideration of their sentences.
