Two protestors who on Friday flung soup at Vincent Van Gogh’s well-known Sunflowers from 1888 at the National Gallery in London are depicted in a handout photo released by the group Just Stop Oil. AP hide caption Just Stop Oil/Just Stop Oil

switch to caption Just Stop Oil via Associated Press Two protestors who on Friday flung soup at Vincent Van Gogh’s well-known Sunflowers from 1888 at the National Gallery in London are depicted in a handout photo released by the group Just Stop Oil.

Just Stop Oil via Associated Press ENGLAND — To protest the use of fossil fuels, climate demonstrators on Friday flung soup over Vincent van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” in London’s National Gallery, but the glass-covered artwork was unharmed.

Activists allegedly put two cans of tomato soup over the oil painting, one of the Dutch artist’s most recognizable pieces, according to the group Just Stop Oil, which wants the British government to block new oil and gas projects. Additionally, the two protesters used glue to adhere to the gallery wall.

The glass that was above the painting and its gilded frame was covered in soup splatters. The picture is undamaged, according to the gallery, but the frame has some minor damage. On Friday afternoon, it was cleaned and placed back in the exhibit.

Van Gogh painted multiple renditions of “Sunflowers” in the late 1880s, and this piece is one of them.
According to the Metropolitan Police in London, two people were detained on suspicion of aggravated trespass and criminal damage.
The force released a statement saying, “Specialist officers have now unglued them and they have been taken into custody to a central London police station.”

NATIONAL Later, the same group of demonstrators gathered at police headquarters and painted the spinning “New Scotland Yard” sign in front of it yellow. A number of them also adhered to the pavement, obstructing traffic. Police reported that 24 persons were detained.

Just Stop Oil has come under fire and notice for its attacks on museum-quality artwork. Just Stop Oil campaigners attached themselves to the frames of John Constable’s “The Hay Wain” in the National Gallery and Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” at London’s Royal Academy of Arts in July.

During the two weeks of protests, activists have also blocked bridges and intersections all around London.

In spite of protests from environmentalists and scientists who claim the action undermines the nation’s commitment to combating climate change, the British government has opened a fresh licensing round for North Sea oil and gas exploration.