**UK court hands prison terms to climate activists who threw soup on Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’**
Two climate activists, Phoebe Plummer and Anna Holland, have been sentenced to prison for throwing tomato soup at Vincent van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” at London’s National Gallery in 2022. Phoebe Plummer, 23, received a two-year prison sentence, while Anna Holland, 22, was handed a 20-month sentence.
The activists, who are part of the environmental group Just Stop Oil, had pleaded not guilty to the charges of criminal damage. However, they were found guilty in July 2024 and were sentenced on September 27, 2024, by Judge Christopher Hehir at Southwark Crown Court.
The incident caused minor damage to the frame of the painting, which is valued at approximately £10,000. The painting itself was protected by glass and remained unharmed. The activists had glued themselves to the wall beneath the painting during the protest, which was part of their non-violent direct action to draw attention to the climate crisis.
Judge Hehir emphasized that the activists’ actions could have led to serious or even irreversible damage to the painting if the soup had seeped through the protective glass. He also criticized the activists for their disregard for the artwork, stating, “You think your beliefs give you the right to commit crimes when you feel like it. You do not”.
The sentencing has sparked debate, with some artists and art professionals defending the activists’ actions as a form of artistic expression and non-violent protest. Over 100 artists and arts professionals signed an open letter in support of the activists, arguing that their gesture was a legitimate work of art that connected to the artistic canon.
