Soup was thrown over Vincent Van Gogh's famous 'Sunflowers' painting by protesters Photo: Supplied / Twitter
London's National Gallery has confirmed Vincent Van Gogh's 'Sunflowers' painting is now back in place, six hours after climate change protesters threw soup over it.
The demonstration by the Just Stop Oil campaign group - which saw two people arrested - follows two weeks of protests.
Campaigners said two people walked into the room in the gallery displaying the painting and threw two tins of Heinz tomato soup over it.
The gallery said earlier the painting was covered by glass and therefore not damaged.
It is estimated the painting, which dates back to 1888, has a value of more than NZ$148 million.
A video shows two young people, wearing shirts that say "Just Stop Oil", throwing the soup before another person calls for security.
The two protesters then kneel below the painting and glue themselves to the wall before one speaks.
BREAKING: SOUP THROWN ON VAN GOGH’S ‘SUNFLOWERS’
— Just Stop Oil ⚖️ (@JustStop_Oil) October 14, 2022
Is art worth more than life? More than food? More than justice?
The cost of living crisis and climate crisis is driven by oil and gas.#FreeLouis #FreeJosh #CivilResistance #A22Network #JustStopOil #NoNewOil pic.twitter.com/18T2zSP2ws
"What is worth more, art or life?" one of the protesters asks.
"Is it worth more than food, worth more than justice?
"Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?
"The cost-of-living crisis is part of the cost-of-oil crisis.
"Fuel is unaffordable to millions of cold, hungry families. They can't even afford to heat a tin of soup."
Activists with @JustStop_Oil have thrown tomato soup on Van Gogh’s Sunflowers at the national Gallery and glued themselves to the wall. pic.twitter.com/M8YP1LPTOU
— Damien Gayle (@damiengayle) October 14, 2022
On Twitter, police said the protesters had been arrested for criminal damage and aggravated trespass.
"Specialist officers have now un-glued them and they have been taken into custody at a central London police station," police said.
The gallery said in a statement there was "some minor damage to the frame but the painting is unharmed".
"It is the painting that is most often reproduced on cards, posters, mugs, tea-towels and stationery. It was also the picture that Van Gogh was most proud of," the gallery said.
The Metropolitan Police said: "Officers were rapidly on scene at the National Gallery this morning after two Just Stop Oil protesters threw a substance over a painting and then glued themselves to a wall.
"Both have been arrested for criminal damage and aggravated trespass. Officers are now de-bonding them."
Last Sunday, police said that more than 100 people had been arrested after a weekend of protest-related activity by environmental groups.
- BBC / ABC
