Three environmental activists from the Just Stop Oil movement, including the two who threw tomato soup on Friday over Van Gogh’s masterpiece “Sunflowers” at the National Gallery, appeared in a London court on Saturday.
Anna Holland, a young woman of 20 years old from Newcastle, and Phoebe Plummer, 21 years old, from the south of the capital, are accused of degrading for an amount less than 5,000 livres, le tableau n’ayant pas été endommagé car protégé par glass. They pleaded not guilty.
On Friday, during a spectacular action, they had thrown tomato soup on the famous painting by the Dutch painter, before sticking it to the wall. Only the frame was slightly damaged and the canvas quickly found its place in the museum.
This maneuver is part of a series of actions launched since the beginning of October by the Just Stop Oil movement that demands the cessation of hydrocarbon exploitation in the United Kingdom, which the government of Liz Truss has decided to speed up in the midst of the world energy crisis. .
Releases
The judge released them on the condition that they not enter any museum or gallery, and that they stop using paint or adhesive substances in public spaces. His trial is set for December 13.
The third activist, Lora Johnson, 38, from Suffolk, is accused of causing damage by covering a revolving sign outside Scotland Yard headquarters in London on Friday. She also pleaded not guilty, was released, and her trial is scheduled for November 23.
Other demonstrators stayed on the road and the police claimed to have arrested 24 people.
“Justice will not prevent them from protesting legally,” said the judge during the hearing, while the interior minister wants to tighten the repression of protest movements such as Just Stop Oil, accusing them of “guerrilla” acts.
Several Just Stop Oil activists have already been sentenced to prison for their protest actions.
Source: BFM TV
