Activists from the environmental movement Just Stop Oil carried out a controversial action at London’s National Gallery. Their aim was to protest against ongoing oil and gas projects in the UK. On Monday morning, two activists aged 20 and 22 smashed the protective glass of a painting by Velázquez, the “Venus in the Mirror”, also known as the “Rokeby Venus.”
Historical context of the Velázquez painting
This action rekindled tensions between environmental activists and the British government. Just Stop Oil is known for its hard-hitting actions to draw attention to the climate emergency. In a statement, the organization claimed responsibility for the act, declaring that it was time for action rather than just words.
Velázquez’s “Venus in the Mirror” Damaged
The damaged painting, dating from the 17th century, is believed to be the only existing nude by Spanish artist Diego Velázquez. He had already been the victim of an attack in 1914, when Canadian suffragette Mary Richardson slashed him with a cleaver to protest against the imprisonment of a women’s suffrage activist.
Just Stop Oil’s reaction and their demands
Faced with this situation, Just Stop Oil campaigners argued that women hadn’t won the right to vote at the ballot box, and that it was time to take concrete action against fossil fuels.
National Gallery Response and Militant Arrest
The National Gallery quickly evacuated visitors from the room and contacted the police. The damaged painting was removed for examination by the museum’s curators. London police arrested the two activists for damage.
Previous actions by Just Stop Oil
It’s worth noting that Just Stop Oil had already targeted the National Gallery the previous year, throwing tomato soup on Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers”, as well as the Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague, where they stuck to the glass of Vermeer’s “The Girl with the Pearl”. Fortunately, in both cases, the canvases were protected by glass, and were not damaged.
This latest action comes as the UK government has announced its intention to award new hydrocarbon exploration and drilling licenses in the North Sea. This decision drew criticism, accusing the government of reneging on its climate commitments. In the name of energy security, the government has also announced its intention to have potentially many new licenses examined each year.
The act of vandalism at London’s National Gallery has highlighted the growing tensions between environmental activists and the British government. Indeed, debates on energy policy and climate will continue to rage, with groups like Just Stop Oil ready to take radical action to draw attention to their concerns.
