Climate activists in London took hammers to a famous painting on Monday while calling for the U.K. to stop new oil and gas projects in the country.

Just Stop Oil attacked Diego Velázquez’s 17th-century painting “Rokeby Venus” with “safety hammers” on Monday as tourists viewed the artwork hanging in the National Gallery.

From Fox News:

The pair of protesters, identified in the Just Stop Oil press release as Harrison Donnelly, 20, and Hanan, 22, took the hammers to the glass before shouting at museum patrons claims that millions will die due to new oil and gas leases.

“Women did not get the vote by voting; it is time for deeds not words. It is time to Just Stop Oil,” said Hanan, who was not identified by her full name by the organization.

“Politics is failing us. Politics failed women in 1914,” Donnelly, who was identified by his full name, said.

“Millions will die due to new oil and gas licenses. Millions!” Donnelly continued. “If we love history, if we love art, and if we love our families, we must just stop oil.”

The protesters then sat down in front of the rope they crossed to take hammers to a multimillion-dollar painting.

“Rokeby Venus” was slashed over a century ago by suffragettes in the push for women’s voting rights. It is worth an estimated £72.5 million.

A spokesperson for the National Gallery told Fox News Digital the pair who smashed the painting were arrested. They have been reportedly charged on suspicion of criminal damage.

Earlier this month, Just Stop Oil was booed and blasted as “stupid people” by an enraged crowd after the climate activists interrupted a “Les Miserables” show in London, forcing it to shut down.

Video taken of the incident begins with one protester standing at the front of the stage and unfurling an orange flag with a skull on it before shouting “Just Stop Oil!” at the audience. Behind her, the ensemble is belting out the chorus of the iconic song “Do You Hear the People Sing?”

They also attempted to desecrate the Cenotaph in London on Monday, but they were arrested on their way there.

 

Join The Conversation. Leave a Comment.


We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.