Pro-Palestine protesters target Picasso and spill paint at London's National Gallery

9 October 2024, 14:56

Protestors have plastered a photo of a weeping Gazan mother over a Picasso painting at the National Gallery.

Two activists for Youth Demand entered the gallery at around mid-day on Wednesday before plastering the photo over the protective glass covering Picasso’s 1901 painting Motherhood (La Maternité).

They then proceeded to pour red paint on the floor below the painting.

One of the protestors, NHS worker Jai Halai, said: “I’m taking action with Youth Demand because at this point it’s been over one year of seeing my colleagues in the healthcare field decimated.

“Decimated by bombs, by bullets and by having to operate, with no medical equipment, on starved children.

“We need a two way arms embargo on Israel now; 87% of the British public want this and never before have they been more disillusioned with our Government and political class who do not represent us. We need a revolution in our democracy.”

The photo used by the protestors was taken by Palestinian journalist Ali Jadallah.

A Youth Demand spokesperson added: “Our government is arming Israel to carry out a genocide against Palestinians and killing without restrain in Lebanon. It can’t be all carrots and no sticks: a two-way arms embargo is the least Britain can do to stop displacement, destruction and death!”

This comes just days after Just Stop Oil protestors doused a Van Gogh painting with soup at the National Gallery.

The environmental group shared a video of the activists vandalising the artwork before telling an angry crowd: "There are people in prison for demanding an end to new oil and gas, something which is now government policy after sustained, disruptive actions, countless headlines and the resulting political pressure.

"Future generations will regard these prisoners of conscience to be on the right side of history."

The gallery confirmed the paintings remain unharmed and they aim to reopen the exhibit.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "Police were called at 14:40hrs on Friday, 27 September to the National Gallery after a group of Just Stop Oil protesters allegedly threw soup on a painting.

"Three people have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and have been taken into custody. Enquiries continue."

One ticker holder told LBC News we go back to New Zealand tomorrow and "doesn’t look like we are going to get into to see the paintings".