"Climate Activists Target Velázquez's Masterpiece at London's National Gallery"
Two climate change activists were arrested on Monday, November 6, following their act of vandalizing a protective glass panel safeguarding the renowned Diego Velázquez oil painting at London's National Gallery, as confirmed by the police. The pair, affiliated with the group Just Stop Oil, used small hammers to target Velázquez's masterpiece, known as The Rokeby Venus or The Toilet of Venus. Photographs revealed the protective glass panel punctured with multiple holes.
Just Stop Oil, recognized for previous protests directed at famous artworks and public structures, declared that their actions on Monday were intended to demand an immediate cessation of all licenses for fossil fuel exploration, development, and production within the United Kingdom.
The group explained that the choice of Velázquez's 17th-century oil painting, one of the Spanish artist's most celebrated works, was due to its historical significance. The painting had been slashed during the suffragette movement advocating for women's rights in 1914. The protesters, after hammering the glass panel, made a public statement within the gallery, proclaiming, "Women did not gain the right to vote through mere ballots. Action, not words, is now required." They added, "The political system has failed us. It failed women in 1914, and it continues to fail us today."
The police confirmed the arrest of the two individuals on suspicion of criminal damage. Additionally, numerous other Just Stop Oil protesters were apprehended on Monday for "slow marching" and obstructing traffic in London's Whitehall, a part of their civil disobedience strategy.
The National Gallery subsequently disclosed that the painting had been removed from public display for examination by conservators. In their official statement, the museum described the incident, "The pair appeared to strike 'The Toilet of Venus' ('The Rokeby Venus') by Velázquez with what appeared to be emergency rescue hammers. The room was cleared of visitors and police were called." The room was subsequently reopened with another painting taking the place of the Velázquez.
The Rokeby Venus portrays a reclining naked Venus, the goddess of love, with her back turned to the viewer. In the artwork, her son Cupid holds a mirror up to her face. The painting was previously targeted in 1914 by the suffragette Mary Richardson in protest of the imprisonment of women's rights activist Emmeline Pankhurst. It sustained multiple slashes during that incident but was subsequently restored.
Notably, last year, two activists threw cans of tomato soup at Vincent van Gogh's Sunflowers, also at the National Gallery, to protest fossil fuel extraction. Fortunately, the painting remained undamaged as it was protected by glass.
Just Stop Oil, part of a global movement of youthful direct-action protest groups, receives support from the US-based Climate Emergency Fund, which was established to endorse disruptive environmental protests. The group has gained prominence for staging high-impact protests on major roadways, sports events, and other public spaces. In July, British authorities expanded police powers to address activists disrupting traffic and static protests.
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