Two climate activists hurled soup Sunday at the glass protecting the Mona Lisa at the Louvre Museum in Paris and shouted slogans advocating for a sustainable food system. This came amid protests by French farmers against several issues, including low wages.
In a video posted on social media, two women with the words “FOOD RIPOSTE” written on their t-shirts could be seen passing under a security barrier to get closer to the painting and throwing soup at the glass protecting Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece.
“What’s the most important thing?” they shouted. “Art, or right to a healthy and sustainable food?”
“Our farming system is sick. Our farmers are dying at work,” they added.
I sympathize with these protesters 100%. I do not know that attacking beloved artworks, even if they are not damaged, is the way to get the rest of France on their side. But I’m also not French. I just couldn’t imagine that if, for example, something similar was done to Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus that the Italian people overall would be on the side of the soup-throwers.
The paintings are behind glass, these people know they are behind glass. They’re not actually trying to destroy art, this is just to get publicity.
But the media I’ve seen spins it as an attempt to destroy art, and that’s putting the focus on the action instead of their cause.
I understand they are not trying to destroy it. That’s not really my point. My point is that if they want to do this form of protest and get support for their cause, they should do it against something that represents the government, not the people.
You can take tours of the Palais de l’Élysée, Macron’s residence. There is plenty of artwork there. I would guess at least some of it was behind glass.
Doesn’t that seem like a better place to throw soup?
Sure, but this is where the publicity is.
To whom? To the world? Maybe. But they’re trying to get the attention of the people of France and get their support. Attacking the center of power makes a lot more sense, at least to me.
I think most of the point here is to get it reported on and the Just Stop Oil protests have shown that it works. If they were just stood in the street with placards nobody would know about them beyond the people who walked past them
But is getting their grievances reported enough? Don’t they need the people on their side?
I mean I’m not even against the idea of throwing soup, but shouldn’t they be throwing it at something more representative of the French government rather than the French people? I don’t know what that would be, and again, I don’t want to speak for French people, but if it were my country, this would not make me feel as sympathetic to them as I otherwise would because it would feel like a misplaced attack. And I think a lot of others would feel like it was an insult.
I’m not even against the idea of throwing soup
I am. I’m sure they like attention, but they’re turning a good cause into something where we only know it’s a bunch of nut cases that should be locked up. I believe their message is totally lost in their quest for more attention by provoking outrage. It does more harm than good. It makes enemies, rather than supporters
Not to mention, they’re complaining about sustainable food by throwing away food.
