VANCOUVER — Climate activists calling for an end to a gas pipeline project in northern British Columbia threw maple syrup on an Emily Carr painting and glued themselves to the wall on Saturday at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
A spokesman for the environmental group Stop Fracking Around said two activists splashed maple syrup on Carr's painting "Stumps and Sky," which is on display at the gallery.
Don Marshall, speaking for the environmental group, said the protest action at the museum intended to focus public attention on the global climate emergency.
He said the protesters are demanding an end to the Coastal Gaslink Pipeline project, currently under construction from Dawson Creek to Kitimat on B.C.'s north coast.
Protesters are targeting works of art around the world because too little is being done to stop the deadly progress of human-caused climate change, Marshall said.
"It's just a question of trying to get the public and especially our leaders to actually respond to the climate emergency which Canada has declared," said Marshall in an interview. "That's the logic behind it."
It's the latest incident where climate protestors have targeted a work of art and then glued themselves to a gallery wall.
Protestors tossed soup at Vincent Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" in London and mashed potatoes at Claude Monet's "Les Meules" in Germany last month, though there was reportedly no permanent damage to the artworks.
Vancouver Police Sgt. Steve Addison said the department received a call from the art gallery Saturday afternoon with a report that two women put maple syrup on a painting and then posed for a third person who appeared to be taking photographs or video.
He said no arrests were made, but the incident is under investigation.
A spokesperson for the Vancouver Art Gallery was not immediately available for comment.
There were no official reports about possible damage to the painting.
- With files from The Associated Press.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2022.
The Canadian Press
