TWO CLIMATE activists have been arrested and charged with criminal damage and aggravated trespass after they threw cans of tomato soup over the famous painting of sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh.
The incident occurred shortly after 11am at the National Gallery in London where the painting is located.
Footage online showed two people in Just Stop Oil T-shirts opening tins and throwing the contents on the masterpiece before gluing their hands to the wall.
The gallery said the painting was covered by glass and therefore not damaged.
Mad I got to see one of these events happen in person. Tin of beans thrown on Van Gogh’s sunflowers at the National Gallery in London. #juststopoil pic.twitter.com/tIV499AswH
— Ro Carey (@RonanCareless) October 14, 2022
A statement from the Trafalgar Square venue 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.
"Two people have been arrested."
The Met Police said specialist officers have now unglued the protestors and they have been taken into custody to a central London police station.
