An environmental activist was arrested for vandalizing the National Gallery of Art in Washington

This National Gallery of Art in Washington Last year was rocked by an act of vandalism, when Jackson Greene, a Utah environmental activist, was arrested for allegedly damaging a Civil War monument. A man, a member of a group Declare an emergencyis accused of writing the words “Honor Them” on the side wall of the monument Shaw 54th Regiment Memorialwhich honors an African-American regiment of the American Civil War.

The incident, which took place on November 14, has sparked intense debate about protest methods and the protection of cultural heritage. Green argued that his action was meant to highlight the urgency of addressing the climate crisis and to honor the sacrifices of freedom fighters in the past. However, authorities charged him with vandalism and estimated the damage at $700.

Green declared of the regiment’s soldiers, “We must honor them by remembering them and what they did. “And secondly, we must honor him by continuing his work. So, I say, ‘Joe Biden should declare a climate emergency in his honor’ because most of the people who are being harmed now and will be harmed in the future by the climate crisis are people who look like the 54th. Massachusetts.”

According to the Department of Justice, Green is a member Declare an emergencyA group that describes itself as “using nonviolent civil resistance techniques to disrupt the status quo and demand that our government take meaningful action to address the climate crisis.”

This is not the first time National Gallery of Art in Washington It is subject to vandalism by environmental activists. In April 2023, Jonah Smith And Timothy Martin They stained the paint A fourteen year old dancer No Edgar DegasSignificant damage that requires expensive repairs.

The damage to Degas’ artwork caused it to be removed from public display for ten days and cost more than $4,000 in conservation repairs. Joanna Smith pleaded guilty and was awaiting sentencing on April 3, while Martin’s trial was set for August 26.

Green’s case adds to a series of incidents of “eco-vandalism” at museums around the world in recent years. From soup sprinkled on Sunflower No Vincent Van Gogh at the National Gallery in London until the attack on Mona Lisa At the Louvre, these actions have attracted widespread media attention and raised questions about the balance between protest and art conservation.

The FBI is investigating Green’s case, emphasizing how seriously they take these acts of vandalism. Meanwhile, the debate on climate activism and cultural heritage conservation continues, highlighting the need to find effective ways to tackle environmental challenges without compromising the integrity of art and history.

Additionally, today two activists threw soup on a painting Claude Monet In it Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon. Both are part of the group’.Riposte Alimentaire‘, which already involved a similar event at the Louvre Museum. Although Kama was protected by glass, he managed to carry out the act. They justified their action by arguing that it represented an urgency to act in the face of the climate crisis. This group includes food in social security as part of a more sustainable and fair agricultural transformation for rural professionals.

Source Télam SE,