Two activists from Just Stop Oil (JSO), Phoebe Plummer and Anna Holland, both 22, have been found guilty of criminal damage after throwing tomato soup over

Vincent van Gogh's "Sunflowers" at the National Gallery in London. The incident, which occurred in October 2022, also involved the pair gluing their hands to the wall beneath the painting. The gallery reported that the gold-colored frame of the glass-covered artwork was damaged in the attack.

Judge Christopher Hehir of Southwark Crown Court warned Plummer and Holland to be "prepared in practical and emotional terms to go to prison" when they are sentenced on September 27. He noted that they came perilously close to destroying one of the world's most valuable artworks.

Bail conditions set for Plummer, of Clapham, south-west London, and Holland, of Newcastle, prohibit them from carrying glue, paint, or any adhesive substance in public, and from visiting galleries or museums. Last week, Judge Hehir sentenced five other JSO activists to jail terms ranging from four to five years.

In court, Plummer questioned the value of art compared to life, food, and justice, highlighting the connection between the cost-of-living crisis and the oil crisis. Following the verdict, Holland's solicitor, Katie McFadden, expressed disappointment and mentioned the possibility of an appeal. She criticized the government's focus on prosecuting young climate activists rather than addressing climate change.

The National Gallery, which has yet to comment on the verdict, has housed "Sunflowers" for 100 years. The painting is part of a series created by Van Gogh in 1888 in Arles, France. This was the second attack by JSO on the National Gallery in 2022, following a July incident involving activists gluing themselves to John Constable's "The Hay Wain." Those involved in that attack were found guilty of criminal damage in December 2022. Photo by Wikimedia commons.