Climate activists throw mashed potatoes at Monet paintings – police take them into custody

Created: 10/23/2022, 7:45 p.m

By: Nadja Zinsmeister

The Last Generation protest group caused an uproar by attacking a Monet painting.

© Screenshot Twitter @AufstandLastGen

In Potsdam, activists from a climate protection protest group threw mashed potatoes at a painting by the famous painter Claude Monet.

Potsdam - Just a few days ago, environmental activists in London caused a stir when they threw tomato soup at a painting by Van Gogh in the National Gallery as a protest for the climate.

A similar incident followed in Germany on Sunday (October 23).

In the Potsdam Museum Barberini, an activist smeared a painting with mashed potatoes.

Climate activists throw mashed potatoes at the Monet factory in Potsdam and demand climate protection

The climate protection protest group "Last Generation" published a video of the action on Twitter.

The signature: "What is more valuable for everyone - art or life?".

On it you can see: Two climate activists from the group who threw pap at a valuable painting by the French artist Claude Monet in the museum and then, similar to London, stuck one hand to the wall.

One of the two activists then gave the following speech:

“People are starving, people are freezing, people are dying.

We are in a climate catastrophe.

And all you're afraid of is tomato soup and mashed potatoes on a painting.

Do you know what I'm afraid of?

Before science says we won't be able to feed our families by 2050.

Does it take mashed potatoes in a painting to make you listen?

This painting won't be worth anything if we have to fight over food.

When is that point where you listen and don't just move on?”

Potsdam: Police arrest climate activists after mashed potatoes attack on Monet painting

The picture in the museum that was thrown at is a work from the series “Les Meules” (“the grainstacks”).

In her tweet on Sunday, she also provided an indication of why the action group had chosen this painting of all things:

"Monet loved nature and captured its fragile beauty in his works," it said.

Carolin Stranz, museum spokeswoman, confirmed the incident.

It must now be checked whether and what damage there was to the picture.

The mashed potatoes were quickly removed, and the painting was protected with a pane of glass.

A total of four people were involved in the action.

In October, climate activists blocked several freeway exits in Berlin by sticking themselves to the streets.

According to police spokesman Mario Heinemann, the incident happened around 3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.

The officials took two people into custody after the protest.

The arrested persons are being investigated for trespassing and property damage.

A few days ago there were indications that environmental activists could carry out an action in the museum, the spokeswoman reported.

The security staff was able to prevent this.

She did not comment further.

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