Two female climate activists who threw soup on one of Vincent Van Gogh’s most famous paintings pleaded not guilty to criminal damage charges on Saturday.
A third female climate activist also pleaded not guilty at a separate hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
She was charged with criminal damage after spraypainting the sign outside the Met’s headquarters in London on Friday.
Both incidents were part of the ongoing anti-fossil fuel campaign organised by the climate activist group Just Stop Oil.
On Friday morning, Anna Holland, 20, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Phoebe Plummer, 21, from Clapham, London, threw two tins of Heinz Tomato soup over Van Gogh’s Sunflower at the National Gallery in London. They then glued their hands onto the wall below the painting.
The multi-million dollar 19th-century painting was protected by glass. Holland and Plummer were charged with criminal damage to the frame of the painting.
Lora Johnson, 38, from Southwold, Suffolk, was charged with criminal damage to the sign outside New Scotland Yard.
Appearing in the dock together, Holland and Plummer spoke only to confirm their name, date of birth, and addresses and to enter pleas of not guilty to criminal damage to the value of less than £5,000 ($5,585).
Prosecutor Ola Oyedepo said the pair threw the “orange substance” knowing there was a “protective case” over the actual painting, though damage was caused to the frame.
Oyedepo said it is unclear at this stage what the value of the damage is but said it is “significantly below the £5,000 cost threshold.”
Katie McFadden, defending, said the prosecution needs to prove that damage had been caused, adding, the “extent of the damage would be relevant to the proportionality assessment” in weighing up their right to expression.
District judge Tan Irkam released the pair on bail on the condition they do not enter galleries or museums and do not have paint or adhesive substances in a public place and set their trial for Dec. 13 at the City of London Magistrates’ Court.
Meanwhile, Johnson, who appeared in the dock for a separate hearing, also spoke to confirm her name and address and enter a not-guilty plea.
Prosecuting Johnson, Oyepedo said she was part of a protest group that gathered at the New Scotland Yard building on Friday afternoon.
“They glued themselves to the floor while she went up to spray the sign,” she said.
The prosecutor said £4,750 ($5,300) has been spent trying to remove the paint from the sign and the ground under it.
Johnson was on bail on the condition she does not have paint or adhesive materials in a public place. Her trial is set for Nov. 23 at the City of London Magistrates’ Court.
“The court will not prevent you from lawfully protesting,” Irkam said.
Some 28 arrests were made in relation to Friday’s protests, the Metropolitan Police said, while 25 others have been bailed pending further inquiries.
