In an unexpected turn of events, two environmental protesters targeted the iconic Mona Lisa at the Louvre in Paris, hurling soup at the masterpiece. The act was carried out in a call for "healthy and sustainable food," and although the painting was behind bulletproof glass, it appeared undamaged.
Witnesses in the gallery looked on in shock as the two women tossed yellow-coloured soup at the Mona Lisa before breaching the barrier in front of the artwork. With their right hands raised in a salute-like gesture, the activists flanked the splattered painting.
One of the protesters revealed a white T-shirt bearing the slogan of the environmental activist group Riposte Alimentaire (Food Response) in black letters. They shouted, "What's the most important thing? Art, or the right to healthy and sustainable food? Our farming system is sick. Our farmers are dying at work."
Footage of the incident captured gasps from visitors and the cries of children shocked by the unexpected act. Louvre staff swiftly erected black cloth screens around the painting and the protesters, though they failed to entirely block the view. Two people were later arrested by Paris police in connection with the incident.
This protest aligns with the ongoing demonstrations by French farmers across the country, demanding improved pay, taxes, and regulations. Riposte Alimentaire, part of the A22 umbrella movement of protest groups spanning 12 countries, stated that the soup-throwing marked the "start of a campaign of civil resistance with the clear demand ... of the social security of sustainable food."
The incident raises questions about security measures at the Louvre, given the strict bag controls in place at major galleries due to previous attacks on artworks. The Mona Lisa has been targeted before, with the painting having been behind glass since a 1956 incident involving a rock thrown by a Bolivian man. The glass was reinforced to be bulletproof in 2005.
This act of protest follows a series of similar attacks on artworks around the world, emphasizing the urgency of environmental concerns. The incident also highlights the challenge faced by institutions in ensuring the security of priceless artworks against determined activists.