Activist yobs vandalise Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and douse masterpiece with soup in National Gallery rampage
TWO eco-warriors have been arrested after they chucked tomato soup over Van Gogh’s famous Sunflowers painting.
The Just Stop Oil activists – named as Anna Holland, 20, and 21-year-old Phoebe Plummer – also glued themselves to the wall at the National Gallery in London.
Shocking video shows the eco-zealots throwing soup over the £76million masterpiece today in a climate stunt.
They then sit on the ground and fiddle with tubes of glue so they can stick themselves to the wall.
The multi-million pound artwork is protected by a glass screen with damage only caused to the frame.
When asked why they targeted the painting, Plummer said: “What is worth more, art or life?
Read more on the protests
“Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?”
They also waved the Heinz soup around and claimed families cannot afford to heat a can up due to the current cost of living crisis.
Visitors were escorted from the gallery as security swooped on the demonstrators.
The Met Police confirmed the pair had been arrested for criminal damage and aggravated trespass.
The climate change group have targeted Van Gogh before after three campaigners glued themselves to his 1889 work Peach Trees In Blossom in August.
The vandalism is the latest stunt this week after protesters took over the capital to wreak havoc.
They have been blocking major junctions in London – preventing ambulances and fire engines from getting through.
Frustrated drivers have been filmed begging the eco-mob to move but their pleas have been ignored.
On Wednesday, one man could be heard saying he needed to get a sick baby to hospital.
The Met tweeted: “Officers were rapidly on scene at the National Gallery this morning after two Just Stop Oil protesters threw a substance over a painting and then glued themselves to a wall.
“Both have been arrested for criminal damage & aggravated trespass. Officers are now de-bonding them.”
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.
“There is some minor damage to the frame but the painting is unharmed.”
