Oil protesters appear in court after throwing soup at Van Gogh painting

Activists of "Just Stop Oil" glue their hands to the wall after throwing soup at a van Gogh's painting "Sunflowers" at the National Gallery in London, Britain October 14, 2022. 

Several outlets are reporting that the climate activists who threw soup over the painting appeared in a London court.

The two women pleaded not guilty to the charges at the court.

Two cans of tomato soup were dumped over the painting by the protesters. The London Metropolitan Police said they were taken into custody.

There was no damage to the painting, which is a version of "Sunflowers" that Van Gogh painted in the late 1800s. It has an estimated worth.

The painting is undamaged despite some minor damage to the frame. The painting was cleaned and returned to the National Gallery.

The group said in a press release that its actions were in response to the government's lack of action on both the cost of living crisis and the climate crisis.

Art or life is worth more. Is it more valuable than food? Is justice worth more than the other way around? One activist asked if they were more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of the planet.

The Labour Party criticized Just Stop Oil after the protest.