In a peculiar turn of events at the Louvre Museum this past Sunday, two activists associated with the environmental group Riposte Alimentaire staged a soup-throwing protest against the iconic Mona Lisa. The unusual demonstration aimed to spotlight concerns about unsustainable food production in France, with the protesters hurling orange-colored soup at the protected painting.
Fortunately, the glass casing surrounding the masterpiece thwarted any potential damage, leaving the enigmatic portrait unscathed. Prompt intervention by Louvre staff involved deploying black screens to shield onlooking visitors from the protesters. The museum temporarily evacuated the “Salle des Etats” room, home to the “Mona Lisa,” as a precautionary measure. However, the affected area has since been reopened to the public.
Expressing its discontent with the incident, the Louvre Museum issued a statement, confirming that the environmental activists had sprayed pumpkin soup on the armored glass protecting the painting. The museum intends to file a formal complaint in response to this act of vandalism, as per a report by CNN.
This act of protest comes amid broader demonstrations by French farmers regarding issues such as pay, competition, and government regulations. The incident drew parallels with a previous attack on Vincent van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” in London in 2022, orchestrated by the Just Stop Oil activist group, also affiliated with the A22 Network.
