Two environmental activists who glued themselves to a J.M.W. Turner painting at Manchester Art Gallery in July 2022 were acquitted today in a Manchester court. The pair affixed themselves to the frame of Tomson’s Aeolian Harp (1809) by Turner and sprayed “No New Oil” and the Just Stop Oil logo on the floor with chalk…

… “The district judge found that the action was proportionate in view of the climate crisis,” a Just Stop Oil statement says. "By contrast Phoebe Plummer and Anna Holland received sentences of 24 months and 20 months respectively from Judge Hehir at Southwark Crown Court last week for throwing cans of soup on the glass cover of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers in 2022.”

  • grue@lemmy.world
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    30 days ago

    Holy crap, a judge decided that (as opposed to a jury nullification)? That’s even better news than I thought it would be from reading the headline!

    • vapeloki@lemmy.world
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      30 days ago

      While the soup attack caused damage in the historic frame if the picture, this protest did not cause any permanent damage. From the choice of glue to the choice of spraypaint, everything was well thought out. So no, I don’t think this is proof that the Soutwark conviction is totally unreasonable

      • mindlesscrollyparrot@discuss.tchncs.de
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        29 days ago

        The same judge (Southwark) thinks that damage to the eye socket of an off-duty police officer should get a suspended sentence.

        But sure, when it’s a picture frame, you have to send a message.

  • houseofleft@slrpnk.net
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    29 days ago

    It’s good to see some JSO court news that isn’t peaceful protesters going to jail with crazy harsh rulings.

    I know this isn’t the important issue, but my brain is really forcing me to ask:

    How did this protest work? What kind or glue? Was it some super strong glue or something? How did they get unstuck? MY CHILDISH BRAIN NEEDS MORE INFO ON THE STICKINESS OF THE GLUE!

    • silence7@slrpnk.netM
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      29 days ago

      It’s probably ordinary cyanoacrylate “super” glue which sets in about 30 seconds. You can unstick somebody using a chemical solvent.