July 25th 2024.
In 2022, two young activists, Anna Holland and Phoebe Plummer, were found guilty of criminal damage for their actions at the National Gallery. The incident involved the two women throwing tinned soup at Vincent van Gogh's famous painting, Sunflowers, and then gluing themselves to the wall.
During their trial at Southwark Crown Court, it was revealed that the activists were part of the organization Just Stop Oil (JSO). The court heard that on October 14th, 2022, Holland and Plummer had purchased two tins of Heinz soup from a Tesco supermarket before visiting the museum in Trafalgar Square. Their actions caused damage to the 17th century Italian frame housing the £72.5m oil-on-canvas masterpiece, although the painting itself was protected by a glass cover.
Despite denying the charges, the jury found Holland and Plummer guilty of damaging property after a four day trial. When the verdict was announced, the two women showed no emotion. The judge, Christopher Hehir, who had recently sentenced JSO co-founder Roger Hallam and four other activists to a combined total of 21 years, stated that the two women had gone beyond being concerned campaigners, and had become fanatics.
Holland was cross-examined by the prosecution, and was questioned about who she and Plummer were taking instructions from. She replied that she was not sure, but that it was someone from JSO. Plummer, who had been described as the organization's "poster girl," had previously served six months in jail for participating in a slow march to protest against gas and oil.
In her testimony, Plummer explained that she and Holland were both young people who were deeply motivated by their fear of the future. They were also driven by their love of life and their disappointment in the government's lack of action. Plummer recalled how their energy bills had skyrocketed and how she had resorted to wearing a coat and gloves inside her own home to avoid turning on the heat.
When questioned about her knowledge of the painting's protection, Plummer stated that she was aware of the "robust" glass glazing that would keep the artwork safe. She also admitted that she was willing to go to prison for her actions, as she truly believed in the cause and the urgency of the situation.
Both Holland and Plummer denied that they had been following orders from anyone, but rather they had been presented with a plan and asked for their opinion. They both emphasized that they acted on their own accord and were not coerced or forced to do anything. Despite their denial, the two women were convicted of damaging property and will face sentencing at a later date.
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