Climate Activists Hurl Soup Cans At Mona Lisa Painting In Paris

The world-renowned “Mona Lisa” painting in the Louvre Museum was the latest target of climate activists who splattered it with canned soup among weekend visitors.

What Happened: The protest took place on Sunday when two women bypassed the protective barrier around the artwork and threw a red liquid at it, As reported by NBC News.

These women were associated with “Riposte Alimentaire,” a French food sustainability group. One protestor unveiled a T-shirt with the group’s name during the demonstration, which demands improved access to nutritious food and fair earnings for farmers.

The demonstrators confronted the visitors, questioning, “What is more important? Art or healthy sustainable food?”

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The Louvre staff hurried to protect the painting and the protesters from the crowd. The museum later confirmed that the “Mona Lisa,” safeguarded under armored glass since 2005, was undamaged.

The Louvre announced that it would file a complaint regarding the incident. The museum’s “Salle des Etats,” home to the painting, was evacuated and shut down for 90 minutes for cleaning.

The incident appears to be part of a broader trend of climate protesters utilizing food and paint to highlight the climate crisis in well-known international galleries.

Why It Matters: The Mona Lisa, a masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci, has proven its resilience over time. Over the centuries, it has been stolen, replicated, and even assaulted with a teacup. Despite all this, no one has ever splattered it with soup. This incident signifies a shift in the tactics of climate activism, using high-profile targets to bring attention to their cause. Such actions raise questions about the balance between preserving art and addressing pressing global issues like climate change and food sustainability.

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