German environmentalists target £100m Monet with mash potato in latest stunt

23 October 2022, 18:11 | Updated: 23 October 2022, 18:18

The activists threw hot food onto the £100 million painting, which is covered by a layer of protective glass.

German environmentalists threw hot mashed potato onto a priceless Monet painting near Berlin today in the latest eco stunt targeting famous artworks.

A pair of campaigners from the country's Last Generation activist group walked up to the French Impressionist painting, thought to be worth around £100 million, which hangs at Museum Barberini in Potsdam, eastern Germany.

It follows the pouring of tomato soup onto Van Gogh's Sunflowers at the National Gallery two weeks ago.

Wearing fluorescent orange jackets, the Last Generation activists were unimpeded before chucking the dish onto the artwork.

A spokesperson from the museum said the valuable Monet is protected by a layer of glass.

Last Generation stated: "If it takes pelting a painting with mashed potato or tomato soup to remind society that the fossil course is killing us all, then we give you mashed potato on a painting."

Extinction Rebellion activists responsible for the National Gallery stunt denied criminal damage.

Anna Holland, 20, from Newcastle, and Phoebe Plummer, 21, from Lambeth, south-west London, both pleaded not guilty to criminal damage to the frame of Van Gogh's painting in a hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, Lora Johnson, 38, from Southwold, Suffolk, pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal damage at the same court after yellow paint was sprayed on to the New Scotland Yard sign.

Appearing in the dock together, Holland and Plummer spoke only to confirm their name, date of birth, addresses and to enter pleas of not guilty to criminal damage to the value of less than £5,000.

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