(LibertySociety.com) – Two climate activists who threw cans of tomato soup over the glass protecting Vincent Van Gogh’s famous “Sunflowers” painting have been sentenced to prison. The incident, which took place in 2022 at a museum in London, was meant to protest fossil fuel use. However, the actions of Anna Holland, 22, and Phoebe Plummer, 23, both members of the activist group Just Stop Oil, were met with harsh consequences. A London court sentenced Holland to two years in prison and Plummer to 20 months for the damage they caused to the painting’s frame.
The painting itself, valued at nearly $85 million, was not harmed, as it was covered by glass. However, Judge Christopher Hehir criticized the two for their reckless disregard for the artwork, calling “Sunflowers” a “cultural treasure” that could have been ruined. Hehir emphasized that the protesters did not care whether their actions might destroy such a valuable piece of history. Additionally, Plummer received an extra three months in prison for her involvement in a “slow march” protest on London’s roads in 2023.
“You clearly think your beliefs give you the right to commit crimes when you feel like it,” Hehir told the activists during the sentencing. “You do not.”
The protest group Just Stop Oil, to which Holland and Plummer belong, has gained notoriety for its extreme methods of raising awareness about climate change. Shortly after the sentencing, other members of the group posted a video showing additional activists throwing soup on two more Van Gogh paintings at another exhibition in London.
This is not the first time activists from Just Stop Oil or similar groups like Extinction Rebellion have faced prison time. In July, the same judge sentenced five other protesters to prison for causing a major disruption on the M25 highway near London. These activists were also involved in stunts designed to draw attention to the climate crisis, but like Holland and Plummer, their actions led to severe legal consequences.
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