Oil protesters appear in court after throwing soup at Van Gogh painting

The clime activists who threw soup implicit Vincent Van Gogh's celebrated "Sunflowers" coating connected Saturday appeared successful a London court connected charges of transgression damages, respective outlets reported.

The 2 women were protesting arsenic portion of the run radical Just Stop Oil, and they pleaded not guilty astatine the Westminster Magistrates' Court during 2 little hearings.

After dumping 2 cans of herb crockery implicit the Van Gogh lipid coating Friday, the protesters besides glued themselves to the assemblage wall. They were removed by specialists and taken into custody, according to the London Metropolitan Police.

A spokesperson for the National Gallery confirmed that determination was nary harm to the painting, which is 1 of the iconic versions of "Sunflowers" that Van Gogh painted successful the precocious 1880s. It has an estimated worth of $80.99 million.

"There is immoderate insignificant harm to the framework but the coating is unharmed," the spokesperson told CNBC. The coating was covered by glass, and it was cleaned and returned to the National Gallery Friday afternoon.

Just Stop Oil has been protesting successful London for the past 2 weeks, and the radical said successful a property merchandise that its actions were "in effect to the government's inaction connected some the outgo of surviving situation and the clime crisis."

"What is worthy more, creation oregon life? Is it worthy much than food? Worth much than justice? Are you much acrophobic astir the extortion of a coating oregon the extortion of our satellite and people?" 1 activistic said successful a video of the event.

Just Stop Oil has received wide disapproval from biology groups and politicians from the absorption Labour Party pursuing the protest.