Zürcher Nachrichten - UK climate activists target 'Rokeby Venus' painting

EUR -
AED 4.093506
AFN 76.885697
ALL 99.156844
AMD 431.61136
ANG 2.009212
AOA 1033.996627
ARS 1072.997336
AUD 1.641238
AWG 2.006096
AZN 1.894898
BAM 1.953947
BBD 2.250965
BDT 133.223643
BGN 1.952711
BHD 0.420041
BIF 3231.776803
BMD 1.114498
BND 1.440534
BOB 7.703555
BRL 6.123719
BSD 1.114843
BTN 93.176654
BWP 14.737155
BYN 3.64844
BYR 21844.159752
BZD 2.247128
CAD 1.513226
CDF 3199.72349
CHF 0.948009
CLF 0.037589
CLP 1037.207355
CNY 7.861562
CNH 7.857762
COP 4641.270973
CRC 578.440993
CUC 1.114498
CUP 29.534196
CVE 110.159036
CZK 25.061677
DJF 198.518152
DKK 7.458688
DOP 66.916533
DZD 147.443868
EGP 54.087145
ERN 16.717469
ETB 129.365881
FJD 2.455963
FKP 0.848756
GBP 0.838887
GEL 3.04302
GGP 0.848756
GHS 17.526063
GIP 0.848756
GMD 76.360453
GNF 9631.735079
GTQ 8.617904
GYD 233.214621
HKD 8.68467
HNL 27.654771
HRK 7.577484
HTG 147.097844
HUF 393.219452
IDR 16938.139791
ILS 4.215003
IMP 0.848756
INR 93.066206
IQD 1460.414859
IRR 46912.005489
ISK 152.106934
JEP 0.848756
JMD 175.153874
JOD 0.78973
JPY 160.913487
KES 143.815085
KGS 93.883634
KHR 4527.705666
KMF 491.883517
KPW 1003.04752
KRW 1489.253392
KWD 0.340031
KYD 0.929027
KZT 534.493464
LAK 24617.20987
LBP 99832.321807
LKR 340.137394
LRD 222.964527
LSL 19.571513
LTL 3.290823
LVL 0.674149
LYD 5.294169
MAD 10.810335
MDL 19.453724
MGA 5042.127276
MKD 61.543927
MMK 3619.845856
MNT 3787.063972
MOP 8.948752
MRU 44.304377
MUR 51.133282
MVR 17.119128
MWK 1932.93201
MXN 21.562748
MYR 4.686458
MZN 71.160467
NAD 19.571337
NGN 1827.163772
NIO 41.030532
NOK 11.743114
NPR 149.085599
NZD 1.79238
OMR 0.429047
PAB 1.114823
PEN 4.178581
PGK 4.364018
PHP 62.09258
PKR 309.759007
PLN 4.271826
PYG 8697.750557
QAR 4.064445
RON 4.974451
RSD 117.076905
RUB 103.223004
RWF 1502.88806
SAR 4.182122
SBD 9.258064
SCR 14.81171
SDG 670.372494
SEK 11.382251
SGD 1.441191
SHP 0.848756
SLE 25.463272
SLL 23370.458959
SOS 637.101453
SRD 33.663463
STD 23067.857331
SVC 9.754617
SYP 2800.209454
SZL 19.578606
THB 36.808558
TJS 11.850548
TMT 3.900743
TND 3.377996
TOP 2.610264
TRY 38.023817
TTD 7.582672
TWD 35.665604
TZS 3038.346537
UAH 46.080848
UGX 4130.23089
USD 1.114498
UYU 46.065689
UZS 14186.544671
VEF 4037327.360851
VES 40.96537
VND 27422.221975
VUV 132.315435
WST 3.117767
XAF 655.323694
XAG 0.035728
XAU 0.000426
XCD 3.011987
XDR 0.826216
XOF 655.326631
XPF 119.331742
YER 278.9867
ZAR 19.526231
ZMK 10031.815557
ZMW 29.514477
ZWL 358.867884
  • RYCEF

    0.0100

    6.96

    +0.14%

  • CMSC

    -0.0100

    25.11

    -0.04%

  • RBGPF

    3.5000

    60.5

    +5.79%

  • SCS

    -0.2800

    13.03

    -2.15%

  • NGG

    0.6750

    69.505

    +0.97%

  • VOD

    -0.0350

    10.025

    -0.35%

  • BCC

    -0.9200

    143.77

    -0.64%

  • RIO

    -1.3020

    63.878

    -2.04%

  • GSK

    -0.5950

    41.025

    -1.45%

  • BCE

    -0.2080

    34.982

    -0.59%

  • CMSD

    0.0200

    25.03

    +0.08%

  • RELX

    -0.0350

    48.095

    -0.07%

  • JRI

    -0.0800

    13.32

    -0.6%

  • BP

    -0.1150

    32.645

    -0.35%

  • AZN

    -0.6050

    78.295

    -0.77%

  • BTI

    -0.1550

    37.415

    -0.41%

UK climate activists target 'Rokeby Venus' painting
UK climate activists target 'Rokeby Venus' painting / Photo: Daniel LEAL - AFP

UK climate activists target 'Rokeby Venus' painting

Climate protesters on Monday smashed the glass cover of the "Rokeby Venus" painting by Spanish artist Diego Velazquez at London's National Portrait Gallery, in the latest protest against fossil fuels.

Text size:

Two Just Stop Oil protesters in their twenties attacked the painting that suffragette Mary Richardson slashed in 1914, the group said in a statement.

"At around 10:45 am (1045 GMT) Hanan, 22, and Harrison, 20, used safety hammers to smash the glass covering the Rokeby Venus," said the group, which is demanding a halt to all new oil and gas projects in the UK.

"They then addressed the gallery by saying: 'Women did not get the vote by voting; it is time for deeds not words. It is time to Just Stop Oil'."

The Metropolitan Police confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that two Just Stop Oil activists had been arrested for criminal damage.

"The glass protecting a painting at the National Gallery has been vandalised," it said, adding that more activists were slow marching on Whitehall, the road that hosts many UK government buildings.

Hanan, a student from London, said: "Over 100 years ago, the suffragette Mary Richardson attacked the Rokeby Venus portrait for the unjust imprisonment of Emmeline Pankhurst. Today I have used similar methods in the fight for climate justice."

The gallery said the pair "appeared to strike" the glass protecting the painting with "what appeared to be emergency rescue hammers" and that the room was cleared of visitors.

"The painting is now being removed from display so it can be examined by conservators," it added.

The Rokeby Venus was completed between 1647 and 1651 and depicts the goddess Venus lying on a bed gazing into a mirror held up by her son Cupid.

In 1914, in a protest against the imprisonment of fellow suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, Richardson left seven slashes on the painting, though all were successfully repaired.

Just Stop Oil protesters have conducted regular protests around the UK, blocking traffic and disrupting sporting and cultural events.

They have also targeted the National Gallery before.

Last year protesters glued their hands to the frame of the painting "The Hay Wain" by English artist John Constable.

N.Zaugg--NZN