Three Just Stop Oil eco-activist are charged with criminal damage after orange soup was thrown at Van Gogh paintings

Three Just Stop Oil eco-activists have been charged with criminal damage after orange soup was thrown at two Van Gogh paintings in the National Gallery on Friday.

Stephen Simpson, 61, of Bradford, West Yorkshire; Phillipa Green, 24, of Penryn, Cornwall; and Mary Somerville, 77, of Bradford, West Yorkshire, will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Monday, the Metropolitan Police said. 

It comes after Just Stop Oil activists poured soup over two Vincent Van Gogh paintings just hours after other members of the group were jailed for damaging the gold frame of the artists Sunflowers.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Just Stop Oil said: BREAKING: 2 VAN GOGH PAINTINGS SOUPED HOURS AFTER PHOEBE AND ANNA SENTENCED.

3 Just Stop Oil supporters have thrown soup over 2 of Van Gogh(s) paintings in the Poets and Lovers exhibition at the National Gallery.

Just Stop Oil activists poured soup over two Vincent Van Gogh paintings just hours after other members of the group were jailed for damaging the gold frame of the artists Sunflowers 

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Just Stop Oil said: BREAKING: 2 VAN GOGH PAINTINGS SOUPED HOURS AFTER PHOEBE AND ANNA SENTENCED 

Two pieces of work were targeted - Sunflowers (1888, National Gallery, London) and Sunflowers (1889, Philadelphia Museum of Art)

The post featured a video of the activists vandalising the artwork that is hung in the National Gallery

The National Gallery confirmed the three activists had been arrested and the paintings remain unharmed

 The paintings were removed from display and examined by a conservator who has said they are unharmed

The National Gallery confirmed on Friday the three activists had been arrested and the paintings remain unharmed.

A statement said: At just after 2.30pm this afternoon, three people entered room six of the National Gallery Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers exhibition.

They appeared to throw a soup-like substance over two works - Sunflowers (1888, National Gallery, London) and Sunflowers (1889, Philadelphia Museum of Art).

Police were called and three people have been arrested.

The paintings were removed from display and examined by a conservator and are unharmed.

We are aiming to reopen the exhibition as soon as possible.

Phoebe Plummer, 23, and Anna Holland, 22, were jailed on Friday after causing as much as £10,000 worth of damage to the artworks gold-coloured frame when they targeted it at Londons National Gallery.