Two activists arrested after Rokeby Venus artwork targeted, as dozens of others held after blocking Whitehall

Just Stop Oil protesters have been arrested after smashing the glass covering a Diego Velázquez painting at the National Gallery in London, as police detained dozens of others who blocked Whitehall.

Two activists targeted the glass on the Rokeby Venus painting with safety hammers before they were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.

The artwork, which was painted by Velázquez in the 1600s, was slashed by the suffragette Mary Richardson in 1914. One of those involved on Monday said: “Women did not get the vote by voting; it is time for deeds not words.”

The Metropolitan police said at least 40 activists who were “slow marching” in Whitehall were also detained and that the road was clear after traffic was stopped for a brief period

  • kralk@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Drawing a direct line up the suffragettes is genius. History will prove them right

    • HeartyBeast@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      Hardly anyone argues again their cause being right. I’m not sure history will show that their campaign did much else than promote the misguided view that environmentalists are arseholes

      • SkyeStarfall@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        1 year ago

        …a lot of people do argue against their cause, though, is the thing. We cannot wait for change to happen, we gotta force some hands.

        • DavidOwie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          1 year ago

          This isn’t forcing anyone’s hand. It just makes environmentalists look like assholes. Sure, shitting your pants in the name of whatever movement is a statement, but it’s not likely it’s one the rest want to make nor is it gonna do any good.

      • Lols [they/them]@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        people constantly argue against their cause being right, because their cause is we need to work on fixing the problems as much as possible and governments are not doing that

      • PapstJL4U@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        But do you think you would have thought about Climate change this week, if not for this act?

        As someone else said ab attack on oil buildings is less news worthy.

        • HeartyBeast@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          Absolutely, I would have, yes. I spent a few hours tinker with my solar panels and booked in on a weekly Oxford University climate society lecture series every Thursday.

        • brewbellyblueberry@sopuli.xyz
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          1 year ago

          Only thing this shit made me think about is how the fight against climate and environmental change is doomed because most people are mentally challenged. And like with the tomato soup protest, that’s what most people are going to get out of this. Great, you made the entire fight look like Don Quijote! Good job!