Just Stop Oil smash glass on paintings at the National Gallery
Just Stop Oil smash glass on paintings at the National Gallery
Two activists arrested after Rokeby Venus artwork targeted, as dozens of others held after blocking Whitehall
Two activists arrested after Rokeby Venus artwork targeted, as dozens of others held after blocking Whitehall
Just Stop Oil protesters have been arrested after smashing the glass covering a Diego Velázquez painting at the National Gallery in London, as police detained dozens of others who blocked Whitehall.
Two activists targeted the glass on the Rokeby Venus painting with safety hammers before they were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.
The artwork, which was painted by Velázquez in the 1600s, was slashed by the suffragette Mary Richardson in 1914. One of those involved on Monday said: “Women did not get the vote by voting; it is time for deeds not words.”
The Metropolitan police said at least 40 activists who were “slow marching” in Whitehall were also detained and that the road was clear after traffic was stopped for a brief period
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I don't understand why they keep targeting art. Wouldn't smashing car windows (for example!) make more sense?
Throwing paint on buildings owned owned by oil companies make more sense, but it never reach the news.
They have also targeted luxury car dealerships. People said the exact same things they always say when they do anything.
Just because their other attempts at protests failed to make the statement they were aiming for doesn't make this one any better. If they have a track record of doing stupid shit it's hardly a testament to their feigned statements.
Because art gets them more publicity. Also if they are going around smashing car windows then they are liable to thousands in fines due to criminal damage, turn the general public against them even more so than they already are and it will likely legitimise tough laws being created against this group.
Because art gets them more publicity.
Out of curiosity, how many news articles about them throwing paints on oil company owned building or luxury cars dealership did you shared ?
That would be attacking the public though. Destroying Art is something that is technically accessible to all, but practically only studied and coveted by the wealthy (who have time and financial assets to pursue it)
I'm guessing it's a class/luxury thing. Cars are mostly owned by workers; smashing them puts the cost on those individual workers.
It kind of makes sense to me for environmental protests, as in "we only have one earth, just like we only have one of this painting".