Climate activists toss soup on Van Gogh painting, receive tough court decision
The two eco-warriors who chucked a can of tomato soup at Vincent Van Gogh’s masterpiece “Sunflowers” have been sentenced to two years in the slammer.
Back in October 2022, 21-year-old Phoebe Plummer and 20-year-old Anna Holland made a bold entrance into London’s National Gallery. Their mission? To douse the iconic painting with soup, glue themselves to the wall, and broadcast their climate change concerns all over social media. The pair, part of the Just Stop Oil crew, were handed their sentence on Friday at Southwark Crown Court for causing around £10,000 in damage to the painting’s frame.
What’s their side of the story?
“I’ll take whatever sentence comes my way with a grin, knowing that I’ve made a difference to stop the suffering and death of innocents. Peace comes from following my conscience,” said Plummer in a statement.
Meanwhile, Holland had this to say: “We don’t expect a fair shake from a corrupt system hooked on fossil fuels. No jail time, no matter how long, will stop us.”
It’s hard not to sympathize with these gals. Clearly, they believed they were making a statement, and two years is no joke, especially for youngins like them. But, let’s be real, vandalizing a priceless work of art was never gonna end well, legally speaking.
Just Stop Oil’s tactics also need a closer look. While bringing attention to climate change is crucial, wrecking art isn’t the way to go.
Sure, Van Gogh didn’t get hurt, but what was the point? People love art. People love Van Gogh. The whole stunt was destined to confuse folks who aren’t in the loop about the group or their cause. It was a risky move with little payoff.
These ladies shouldn’t be locked up, but maybe it’s time to reassess their game plan.
