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U.K. Protesters Throw Soup on Van Gogh Painting to Demand Climate Action

HeadlineOct 17, 2022

In Britain, two climate activists glued their hands to the walls of London’s National Gallery Friday to call out the U.K. government’s role in fueling the climate catastrophe. The activists from the group Just Stop Oil first flung two cans of soup onto Vincent Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” painting, which was protected by a glass screen.

Just Stop Oil activist: “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?”

It’s the latest climate protest involving prestigious artworks and museums. Last week, two people glued their hands to a Pablo Picasso painting in Melbourne, Australia, as activists seek to disrupt normal life in unexpected settings to call attention to the climate crisis.

Meanwhile, protesters from the group Animal Rebellion poured milk onto the floors of grocery stores across the United Kingdom on Sunday, calling for a shift to a more sustainable, plant-based food system. Their protest came as the British government unveiled plans to further crack down on climate activists through a new “public order” bill that could also be used to break labor strikes.

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