Just Stop Oil protesters jailed for throwing soup at van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’

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🗞️ Driving the news: Two Just Stop Oil protesters, Phoebe Plummer and Anna Holland, were sentenced to prison for throwing soup at van Gogh's Sunflowers
• Plummer received a two-year sentence, while Holland was given 20 months
• Although the painting was unharmed, the frame suffered some damage, which was later restored

🔭 The context: The protest, which took place in October 2022, was part of Just Stop Oil's climate activism campaign
• The group has been involved in several high-profile actions to raise awareness of the climate crisis, leading to the introduction of stricter protest laws in the UK

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: These disruptive protests aim to spotlight the urgency of the climate crisis
• However, the legal consequences reflect growing tensions between activism and governmental efforts to regulate protests

⏭️ What's next: Plummer and Holland's legal team are considering an appeal, criticizing the harshness of the sentence, which some view as disproportionate given the outcome
• The crackdown on such protests is likely to continue under the UK’s stricter laws

💬 One quote: Judge Christopher Hehir called the action "extreme, disproportionate and criminally idiotic," emphasizing the potential risk to the priceless artwork

📈 One stat: There are currently 26 Just Stop Oil activists in prison following protests in the UK

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