Just Stop Oil pair guilty of throwing soup at Van Gogh painting

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on BBC or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Two "Just Stop Oil" activists, Phoebe Plummer and Anna Holland, were found guilty of criminal damage for throwing soup on Vincent van Gogh's "Sunflowers" painting at the National Gallery in London

🔭 The context: The incident occurred in October 2022, where the activists also glued their hands to the wall beneath the painting
• The attack was part of a protest against the use of fossil fuels, emphasizing the cost-of-living crisis linked to oil dependence

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The protest aimed to draw attention to environmental and social issues, questioning societal priorities and the impact of fossil fuels on climate change

⏭️ What's next: Plummer and Holland are set to be sentenced on September 27
• Their bail conditions prohibit them from carrying adhesive substances or visiting galleries

💬 One quote: "What is worth more, art or life? Is it worth more than food? Worth more than justice?" — Phoebe Plummer, Just Stop Oil activist

📈 One stat: "Sunflowers" is one of four paintings in the series that Van Gogh completed in just one week in 1888

Click for more news covering the latest on climate change