Anti-Oil Environmentalists Deface $85 Million Van Gogh Painting

Because that’ll show’em, or make people go “green”… or something like that. Watch below as a pair of environmental activists attack a Vincent Van Gogh painting at London’s National Gallery on Friday, in but the latest in a string of similar stunts tailored to grab headlines.

The 1888 Van Gogh work “Sunflowers” is widely considered to be priceless, but international reports say it was recently valued at $85 million. That didn’t stop climate protesters from the group Just Stop Oil from hitting it with a can of tomato soup. They then tried to glue their hands to the wall while posing under the defaced artwork.

Activists with @JustStop_Oil have thrown tomato soup on Van Gogh’s Sunflowers at the national Gallery and glued themselves to the wall. pic.twitter.com/M8YP1LPTOU

— Damien Gayle (@damiengayle) October 14, 2022

The London gallery issued a statement after the incident, saying the masterpiece was “unharmed” due to the protective glass that covers it. Galleries across Europe have had to beef up their security and protective coverings particularly over high-value and rare pieces.

“What use is art when we face the collapse of civil society?” the activist group said in its own statement after the two were arrested.

“The art establishment, artists and the art-loving public need to step up into Civil Resistance if they want to live in a world where humans are around to appreciate art,” the protesters said.

Getty Images

According to NBC, the pair was arrested:

In the background of the video, onlookers gasped and called for security as the protesters kneeled in front of the painting and glued their hands to the wall underneath the painting.

“What is worth more, art or life?” one of the protesters asked upon kneeling.

“Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?” the protester continued. “The cost of living crisis is part of the cost of oil crisis. Fuel is unaffordable to millions of cold, hungry families. They can’t even afford to heat a tin of soup.”

The group was later filmed the same day committing public acts of vandalism outside of the Metropolitan police HQ in London.

🎨 BREAKING: LORA JOHNSON THROWS PAINT ON MET POLICE HQ 🎨

⚖️ New oil and gas will lead to crop failure, food shortages and the collapse of law and order. Human civilisation as we know it is on the verge of collapse.#FreeLouis #FreeJosh #CivilResistance pic.twitter.com/EjeBaI8UcD

— Just Stop Oil ⚖️💀🛢 (@JustStop_Oil) October 14, 2022

One wonders where these left-wing climate activists stand on the prospect of a civilization-ending nuclear war with Russia. They were curiously quiet about Western governments pumping more and more arms into the Ukrainian proxy war, potentially leading toward direct confrontation with a nuclear armed power. 

Meanwhile, also of note…

Has anyone noticed that internationally-renowned environmental activists like @GretaThunberg don’t seem overly concerned with the potential environmental impact of nuclear war

— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) October 11, 2022