Activists deny soup attack on Sunflower paintings

Mary Somerville, Stephen Simpson and Phillipa Green leaving Westminster Magistrates' Court, central London, where they were charged with criminal damage

Three Just Stop Oil supporters have denied criminal damage on two Van Gogh paintings after soup was thrown at them.

The paintings, both versions of Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, were targeted at the National Gallery on Friday.

Hours earlier, two Just Stop Oil activists were jailed for pouring soup over a Sunflowers by the Dutch artist in October 2022.

Stephen Simpson, 71, and Mary Somerville, 77, of Bradford, and Phillipa Green, 24, of Penryn, Cornwall, pleaded not guilty to criminal damage at Westminster Magistrates’ Court earlier.

Soup was thrown on the painting hours after other activists were jailed for the same thing

Prosecution barrister James Bowker said the frames of the paintings had been damaged.

He said an antique frame owned by the National Gallery, estimated to be worth £10,000 to £20,000, would "likely require lengthy restoration".

The value of the other frame, on loan from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, he said was "unknown, but likely to be in a similar range", adding that neither painting itself was damaged.

Mr Bowker also said damage to the artworks would have a "serious social impact", as the Sunflowers were "loved by millions of people around the world and in the UK".

'Paintings were protected'

The court heard that the defendants entered the Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers exhibition at the art museum in Trafalgar Square at around 14.30BST on Friday.

Mr Bowker said that Mr Simpson and charity worker Ms Green threw soup on to a painting on the left of the gallery and retired teacher Ms Somerville threw soup on to a painting on the right.

The trio then took off their coats to reveal T-shirts which said Just Stop Oil on them.

Defending, Raj Chada said the damage to the frames had not been assessed yet.

Mr Chada added: "There was no damage to the paintings whatsoever.

"They have been covered by a very thick protective glass screen."

Mr Simpson, Ms Somerville and Ms Green were granted bail with the condition of not entering the Greater London area within the M25 except for pre-arranged court appearances.

The activists will next appear at Southwark Crown Court on 28 October.