Just Stop Oil activists who poured tomato soup over a priceless Van Gogh painting have been found guilty of criminal damage.
Anna Holland and Phoebe Plummer, both 22, threw two cans of Heinz soup at the Dutch artist’s 1888 masterpiece while it was on display at the National Gallery on October 14, 2022.
The couple then proceeded to stick to the wall after the attack on the painting.
Although the painting, worth £72.5m, was protected by a glass cover and escaped unscathed, its 17th-century Italian frame was damaged.
Both Plummer and Holland declined to say who they received instructions from before carrying out the publicity stunt.
The couple had visited the museum in Trafalgar Square the day before the incident and bought the cans of soup from a Tesco supermarket in central London.
They denied it but were found guilty of damaging property by a jury after a four-day trial at Southwark Crown Court.
They showed no emotion when the jury announced their verdicts.
The court was told the painting was protected by a glass cover but the antique 17th-century Italian wooden frame surrounding it was damaged.
The painting is considered a masterpiece and is one of the most recognizable works of art in the world.
Judge Christopher Hehir is expected to set bail for both men ahead of sentencing on a date to be determined.
Last week he jailed JSO co-founder Roger Hallam, 58, and four other activists for a total of 21 years after they helped paralyse the M25 for four consecutive days.
Sentencing them, Judge Hehir said they had “crossed the line between concerned activists and fanatics”.
Prosecutor Francesca Kolar said Plummer and Holland made their trip to Gallery 43, which housed one of the most famous and “sought after” works of art – Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers.
When the coast was clear, they removed their jackets to reveal white T-shirts bearing the slogan ‘Just Stop Oil’.
‘They removed two cans of Heinz tomato soup from bags and simultaneously dumped the contents of the cans of tomato soup onto the painting.’
‘They knelt down and began to open tubes of superglue and applied it to their left hands. They fixed their hands to the wall of the gallery behind them.
‘The Crown claims that targeting one of the world’s most famous paintings at the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square in the heart of the national capital is a publicity stunt to draw attention to Just Stop Oil’s aims.’
‘While this posed a risk of serious damage to a priceless painting by one of the greatest artists, Vincent Van Gogh, there was, we say, real damage to the 17th century Italian frame chosen specifically to house this painting by the National Gallery in 1999.’
Two protesters threw cans of Heinz tomato soup at Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers at the National Gallery on October 14, 2022
The masterpiece was painted in 1888 by Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh, who appears here in a self-portrait he created the same year.
People were heard saying “Oh my God” as the painting was attacked during the protest which was filmed and quickly uploaded to JSO’s Twitter page.
Frame conservator Isabella Kocum said in a statement read to the jurors: “I was shocked and appalled at the degree of corrosion this tomato soup had caused to the exquisite antique frame.
‘The frame was chosen specifically for Van Gogh’s painting because of its colour combination.’
“I’m surprised how corrosive the soup was to the body.”
‘Even when I had removed most of the soup, I was alarmed to see that the rest was acting like a paint stripper before my eyes.’
Wearing a blue floral dress and a pink and red striped shawl, Holland explained why they used tomato soup.
‘The first reason is that it would stand out more and it’s different from painting.
‘The second reason is that tomato soup symbolises the link between the climate crisis and the cost of living crisis.’
Asked if she understood the painting could be damaged, the Newcastle University graduate replied: “No, I understood the painting was protected. It didn’t occur to me at all about the frame. I never thought the painting could be damaged.”
‘I have been concerned about the climate crisis since I was very young. I know that climate change will affect my generation and all the generations younger than me the most.
“I’m very scared. I’m also very worried about the cost of living crisis.”
When Ms. Kolar questioned Holland, she was asked who she and Plummer received instructions from.
She replied, “I don’t know. Someone else at Just Stop Oil.”
Plummer has been described as the “poster girl” for JSO and was jailed for six months last November for taking part in a slow march to protest oil and gas.
The former Manchester University student told the court: ‘Anna and I are young people motivated by a very deep fear of what we know is coming.
‘We are motivated by a love of life. We are motivated by the fact that we have been let down by our government, which refuses to take appropriate measures.
‘I’m sure I’m not the only one who remembers how our energy bills skyrocketed.
‘I’m not the only one who wore a coat and gloves inside the house to avoid turning on the heating.’
Plummer said she knew the painting would be well protected by “sturdy” glass and told the court she was prepared to go to prison.
“I’m willing to risk the consequences. I’m willing to risk spending time in prison… That’s how serious it is.
“We have experienced the wettest 18 months on record. Our entire food security is at risk.”
Asked if he had received instructions from anyone, Plummer replied: “I wouldn’t say I received instructions. I wasn’t forced or told to do anything.”
“They presented me with a plan and asked me if I thought it was a good idea. I don’t act on anyone else’s instructions.”
Holland, from Newcastle, and Plummer, from Lambeth, denied the charge but were convicted of damaging property.
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