Just Stop Oil activists who threw tomato soup over priceless Van Gogh Sunflowers painting are found guilty of criminal damage

Just Stop Oil activists who threw herb crockery over a priceless Van Gogh coating person been recovered blameworthy of criminal damage. 

Anna Holland and Phoebe Plummer, some 22, flung 2 tins of Heinz crockery astatine nan Dutch artist's 1888 masterpiece while it was connected show astatine nan National Gallery connected October 14, 2022.

The brace past proceeded to glue themselves to nan wall pursuing nan onslaught connected nan painting.

Although nan oil-canvas worth up to £72.5m was protected by a solid screen and went unharmed, its 17th period Italian framework was damaged.

Both Plummer and Holland refused to opportunity who they took instructions from earlier they carried retired nan publicity stunt.

The brace had paid a sojourn to nan depository successful Trafalgar Square a time earlier nan incident and bought nan tins of crockery from a Tesco supermarket successful cardinal London.

They denied but were convicted of damaging spot by a assemblage aft a 4 time proceedings astatine Southwark Crown Court.

They showed nary emotion arsenic nan assemblage announced its verdicts. 

Judge Christopher Hehir is expected to bail nan brace up of sentencing connected a day to beryllium fixed.

Last week he jailed JSO co-founder Roger Hallam, 58, and 4 different activists for a full of 21 years aft they helped bring nan M25 to a standstill connected 4 consecutive days.

Sentencing them Judge Hehir said they 'crossed nan statement from concerned campaigner to fanatic'.

Francesca Kolar, prosecuting, said Plummer and Holland made their was to assemblage 43, which housed 1 of nan astir celebrated and 'sought aft artworks' - Sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh.

When nan seashore was clear they took disconnected their jackets to uncover achromatic t-shirts emblazoned pinch nan motto 'Just Stop Oil'.

'They took 2 tins of Heinz herb crockery retired of bags and simultaneously threw nan contents of nan tins of herb crockery onto nan painting.'

'They kneeled down and began to unfastened tubes of superglue and lathered it complete their near hands. They fixed their hands to nan wall of nan assemblage down them.

'Targeting 1 of nan astir celebrated paintings successful nan world successful The National Gallery, successful Trafalgar Square successful nan bosom of nan nationalist capital, nan Crown opportunity is simply a publicity stunt to bring attraction to nan intends of Just Stop Oil.'

'Whilst this risked superior harm to a priceless coating by 1 of nan top artists - Vincent Van Gogh - location was, we say, existent harm to nan seventeenth period Italian framework chosen specifically to location this coating by The National Gallery successful 1999.'

People were heard saying 'Oh my gosh' arsenic nan coating was attacked during nan protestation which was filmed and quickly uploaded onto JSO's Twitter page.

Frame conservator Isabella Kocum said successful a connection publication to jurors: 'I was shocked and dismayed by nan grade of corrosion this herb crockery had caused to nan exquisite ancient frame.

'The framework was specifically chosen for Van Gogh's coating because of nan matching coloration.'

'I stay amazed astatine really corrosive nan crockery was to nan frame.'

'Even erstwhile nan mostly of nan crockery had been removed, I was alarmed to spot that nan remainder was acting for illustration a overgarment stripper successful beforehand of my eyes.'

Wearing a bluish floral dress and a pinkish and reddish striped shawl, Holland explained why they utilized herb soup.

'The first logic is that it would guidelines retired much and it is different to paint.

'The 2nd logic being that herb crockery symbolised nan nexus betwixt nan ambiance situation and nan costs of surviving crisis.'

Asked if she understood that nan coating could beryllium damaged, nan Newcastle University postgraduate replied: 'No, I understood that nan coating was protected. The framework didn't hap to maine astatine all. I ne'er thought nan coating would beryllium damaged.

'I person been concerned astir nan ambiance situation from a very young age. I cognize that ambiance alteration will impact my procreation and each procreation younger than maine nan worst.

'It really scares me. I was besides really concerned astir nan costs of surviving crisis.'

Cross-examined by Ms Kolar, Holland was asked who she and Plummer were taking instructions from.

She replied: 'I don't know. Someone other successful Just Stop Oil.'

Plummer has been described arsenic JSO's 'poster girl' and past November she was jailed for six months for taking portion successful a slow march to protestation against state and oil.

The erstwhile University of Manchester student told nan court: 'Anna and I are some young group motivated by a deep, heavy fearfulness of what we cognize is to come.

'We are motivated by a emotion of life. We are motivated by being fto down by our authorities who garbage to return due action.

'I'm judge I'm not nan only 1 who remembers really each our power bills soared.

'I americium not nan only 1 who wore a overgarment and gloves wrong nan location to debar putting nan heating on.'

Plummer claimed that she knew that nan coating would beryllium good protected by 'robust' solid glazing. She told nan tribunal that she was prepared to spell to prison.

'I americium consenting to consequence nan consequences. I americium consenting to consequence clip successful prison... That is really superior it is.

'We person knowledgeable nan wettest 18 months since records began. All our nutrient information is astatine risk.'

Asked if she had taken instructions from anyone Plummer replied: 'I wouldn't opportunity I took instructions. I wasn't coerced, aliases told I had to do something.

'I was presented pinch a scheme and was asked if I thought it was a bully idea. I don't enactment connected nan instructions of anyone else.'

Holland, of Newcastle, and Plummer, of Lambeth, denied but were convicted of damaging property.