In a dramatic protest, two Just Stop Oil activists shattered the glass covering a valuable Diego Velázquez painting at the National Gallery in London. The pair, armed with safety hammers, targeted the Rokeby Venus, a renowned 17th-century masterpiece.
Their actions echo the suffragette Mary Richardson, who slashed the same painting in 1914. One of the protesters, echoing Richardson’s sentiment, declared, “Women did not get the vote by voting; it is time for deeds, not words.”
The incident prompted their swift arrest on suspicion of criminal damage. Meanwhile, around Whitehall, police detained at least 40 other Just Stop Oil activists who staged a “slow march” to disrupt traffic.
The protesters, determined to make their voices heard, lay on the road and lined up along pavements, effectively bringing Whitehall to a standstill. Some were even positioned on and around the Cenotaph, the war memorial honoring fallen soldiers.
A female protester, lying handcuffed at the base of the Cenotaph, recounted their treatment by the police, stating, “They arrested us in the road, and we were dragged to the pavement and then back over here.”
An officer justifying the protesters’ relocation to the Cenotaph explained, “It was for their safety; obviously, it’s quite a busy road.”
Lee Anderson, the Conservative party’s deputy chair, responded with a controversial tweet, suggesting the protesters be glued to the spot until Sunday.
The protests, witnessed by Tory peer David Frost, prompted him to tweet, “I hope they plan to take some firmer action soon.”
Just Stop Oil claimed over 100 supporters participated in the Whitehall shutdown, demanding an end to new oil and gas projects.
Their actions underscore the growing frustration over the government’s decision to mandate annual oil and gas licensing in the North Sea, a move aimed at reducing reliance on “hostile foreign regimes.”
These protests highlight the deep-seated environmental concerns surrounding the continued use of fossil fuels and the urgency for transitioning to cleaner energy sources.
