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3 months ago
27
Just Stop Oil activists who threw tomato soup over a priceless Van Gogh painting have been found guilty of criminal damage.
Anna Holland and Phoebe Plummer, both 22, flung two tins of Heinz soup at the Dutch artist's 1888 masterpiece while it was on display at the National Gallery on October 14, 2022.
The pair then proceeded to glue themselves to the wall following the attack on the painting.
Although the oil-canvas worth up to £72.5m was protected by a glass cover and went unharmed, its 17th century Italian frame was damaged.
Both Plummer and Holland refused to say who they took instructions from before they carried out the publicity stunt.
The pair had paid a visit to the museum in Trafalgar Square a day before the incident and bought the tins of soup from a Tesco supermarket in central London.
They denied but were convicted of damaging property by a jury after a four day trial at Southwark Crown Court.
They showed no emotion as the jury announced its verdicts.
The court was told that the painting was protected by a glass covering, but damage was done to the antique 17th century Italian wooden frame surrounding it
The painting is considered to be a masterpiece and is one of the most recognisable artworks in the world
Judge Christopher Hehir is expected to bail the pair ahead of sentencing on a date to be fixed.
Last week he jailed JSO co-founder Roger Hallam, 58, and four other activists for a total of 21 years after they helped bring the M25 to a standstill on four consecutive days.
Sentencing them Judge Hehir said they ‘crossed the line from concerned campaigner to fanatic’.
The court previously heard how Holland had met Plummer five days before they hurled the two tins of tomato soup over the painting.
When cross-examined by Francesca Kolar, prosecuting, Holland was asked who she and Plummer were taking instructions from, to which she replied: 'I don't know. Someone else in Just Stop Oil.'
She was then asked where she and Plummer had purchased the tomato soup, she added: ' We just bought it from the supermarket. Tesco, I think, in central London.'
Holland told the court that they wanted to get as much media attention as possible, adding: 'We need media attention to have success in our demands.'
When asked by Raj Chada, defending, if she had 'personally' selected the 'Sunflowers' she said no, she also claimed to not know who chose to attack the painting.
They were also queried as to why they used tomato soup, to which Holland replied: 'The first reason is that it would stand out more and it is different to paint.
'The second reason being that tomato soup symbolised the link between the climate crisis and the cost of living crisis.'
Holland was asked if she understood that the painting could be damaged.
She said: 'No, I understood that the painting was protected. The frame didn't occur to me at all. I never thought the painting would be damaged.
'I have been concerned about the climate crisis from a very young age. I know that climate change will affect my generation and every generation younger than me the worst.
'It really scares me. I was also really concerned about the cost of living crisis.'
The court also heard that there were school children sitting in front of the painting just before the protest.
As Holland and Plummer were taken away from the gallery Holland said: 'Wow, I didn't realise we got it so high over the painting.'
During the trial the court also heard how a curator was left 'shocked and dismayed' by the corrosive damage caused to an antique picture frame housing Van Gogh's Sunflowers.
National Gallery frame conservator Isabelle Kocum said in a statement read to jurors: 'I was shocked and dismayed by the extent of corrosion this tomato soup had caused to the exquisite antique frame.
'The frame was specifically chosen for Van Gogh's painting because of the matching coloration.'
'I remain amazed at how corrosive the soup was to the frame.'
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