Protesters hurled soup at the “Mona Lisa” painting in Paris on January 28, but it was protected from damage by its glass casing.
The environmental group Riposte Alimentaire (“Food Response”) said two protesters involved with its campaign were behind the vandalism.
A video of the incident shows the demonstrators throwing orange-colored soup from bottles before ducking beneath a protective barrier to address onlookers. “What is more important: art or the right to a healthy and sustainable diet?” one is heard asking.
The museum evacuated the “Salle des Etats” room, which houses the “Mona Lisa,” though it has since reopened.
The museum said it was lodging a complaint.
In a series of social media posts about the incident, Riposte Alimentaire said it wanted to draw attention to unsustainable food production and hunger in France, calling for “the integration of food into the general social security system.”
