Just Stop Oil activists caused outrage last week after two protesters were arrested for throwing tomato soup over Van Gogh’s Sunflowers painting at the National Gallery. While the controversial act was widely condemned, Phoebe Plummer has gone viral on Twitter after defending her actions.
Plummer entered the National Gallery with Anna Holland on Friday 14 Oct., both wearing Just Stop Oil t-shirts, and proceeded to throw Heinz tomato soup over the historic 1888 painting. A video of the stunt has since been viewed by over 50 million people, as they shouted, “Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?” The pair were arrested for criminal damage and aggravated trespass, both pleading “not guilty” at Westminster Magistrates Court on 15 Oct. The National Gallery confirmed in a statement that there was minor damage to the frame, but the painting was unharmed.
“I’m stood here today as a queer woman and the reason that I’m able to vote, the reason that I’m able to go to university, hopefully some day marry the person I love is because of people who’ve taken part in civil resistance before me.”
The environmental group has been staging a number of demonstrations around parliament and London to urge the government to stop issuing new oil and gas licences, with the issues of climate change at the heart of the campaign. While many called out the intentional damage and disruption as abhorrent, Free Seed Films spoke to Plummer about her reasoning, captioning the TikTok video with, “is she right or misguided?”
“I would like to make one thing perfectly clear, we did no damage to the painting whatsoever,” Plummer says. “I was in court yesterday and heard there had been minimal damage done to the frame which is repairable and replaceable and absolutely no damage done to the painting. It was behind glass and we would have never, ever considered doing it if we didn’t know that it was behind glass and that we wouldn’t do any damage. We were literally sat there glued to the wall, they wiped it off the wall with a bit of kitchen roll.”
Plummer continues to address the stunt itself, and the theory behind the seemingly bizarre act. “I recognise that it looks like a slightly ridiculous action. I agree, it is ridiculous but we’re not asking the question ‘should everyone be throwing soup on paintings?'” she explains. “What we’re doing is getting the conversation going to ask the questions that matter. Questions like is it ok that Liz Truss is licensing over 100 new fossil fuel licenses? Is it ok that fossil fuels are subsidised 30 times more than renewables when offshore wind is currently nine times cheaper than fossil fuels? Is it ok that is it their inaction that led us to the cost of living crisis, where this winter people are going to be forced to choose between heating and eating?”
Asking the big questions are undoubtedly important, but critics have continued to argue why environmental groups such as Just Stop Oil and Insulate Britain, who staged a number of roadblocks in recent months, have to go to such extreme measures. “This is a conversation we need to be having now, because we don’t have time to waste. Last year, Sir David King [Head of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group] said what we do in the next 3-4 years will determine the future of humanity,” Plummer adds. “So we’re using these actions to get media attention because we need to get people talking about this now. And we know that civil resistance works. History has shown us that it works. I’m stood here today as a queer woman and the reason that I’m able to vote, the reason that I’m able to go to university, hopefully some day marry the person I love is because of people who’ve taken part in civil resistance before me.”
Plummer’s explanation caused a divide in comments on TikTok. Some have been swayed from cynicism to understanding, with one writing, “When you hear her real logic its not actually that flawed” and another commenting, “She makes so much sense!! I can’t believe so many people disagree.” Others questioned her actions, writing “Yes there need to be change but not in the way you are doing it …. Protest yes but think about it”.
I believe in this generation. It’s also the generation of Iranian women and girls leading a revolution right now. We need to listen to them. And we need to back them. All the way ⬇️ https://t.co/r3mVWESleG
– Omid Djalili (@omid9) October 19, 2022
Comedian and actor Omid Djalili rewteeted the video, writing “I believe in this generation. It’s also the generation of Iranian women and girls leading a revolution right now. We need to listen to them. And we need to back them. All the way”. He is referencing the women cutting their hair to demand justice for Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old woman who died in Tehran, Iran after being detained by the morality police for allegedly violating hijab regulations.
While drastic measures will continue to be divisive, there is some truth that controversial acts are sometimes the only way to build momentum and encourage awareness. Take a look at the video below. Whatever your thoughts on the matter, it’s caught your attention.
@freeseedfilms #juststopoil #Activist says there was “minimal damage” to #vangogh #Sunflowers is she right or misguided? #vangoghsoup #climatechange #freeseednews
♬ original sound – freeseedfilms
