Oil protesters throw soup on Van Gogh's Sunflowers painting - BBC

Climate activists person thrown tins of what appears to beryllium herb crockery implicit a Van Gogh coating of sunflowers astatine the National Gallery successful London.

Footage showed 2 radical successful Just Stop Oil T-shirts opening tins and throwing the contents connected the masterpiece earlier gluing their hands to the wall.

The Metropolitan Police said 2 radical had been arrested.

The assemblage said the coating was covered by solid and truthful not damaged.

A connection from the Trafalgar Square venue said: "At conscionable aft 11am this greeting 2 radical entered Room 43 of the National Gallery.

"The brace appeared to glue themselves to the partition adjacent to Van Gogh's Sunflowers (1888). They besides threw a reddish substance - what appears to beryllium herb crockery - implicit the painting.

"The country was cleared of visitors and constabulary were called. Officers are present connected the scene.

"There is immoderate insignificant harm to the framework but the coating is unharmed.

"Two radical person been arrested."

The Metropolitan Police said: "Officers were rapidly connected country astatine the National Gallery this greeting aft 2 Just Stop Oil protesters threw a substance implicit a coating and past glued themselves to a wall.

"Both person been arrested for transgression harm and aggravated trespass. Officers are present de-bonding them."

Videos of Friday's incidental showed a protester shouting: "What is worthy more? Art oregon life? Is it worthy much than food? Worth much than justice? Are you much acrophobic astir the extortion of a coating oregon the extortion of our satellite and people?"

She besides referenced the outgo of surviving situation and "millions of cold, bare families" who "can't adjacent spend to vigor a tin of soup".

The coating is 1 of 7 Sunflowers works Van Gogh created successful 1888 and 89, 5 of which are connected show successful galleries and museums crossed the world. The creator created them to decorate his location successful Arles, France, earlier a sojourn from his friend, the creator Paul Gauguin.