Climate protesters throw mashed potatoes on Monet painting

The activist group Letzter Generation (Last Generation) on Sunday posted a video showing two of its activists throwing a viscous liquid on a Monet painting at a gallery in Potsdam near Berlin.

Two young people each threw what they described as mashed potatoes on the “Meules” (Haystacks) painting by Claude Monet, before crouching in front of it with one of them delivering a short statement.

They alluded to the attention previous such protests in recent weeks have generated.

“People are starving, people are freezing, people are dying. We are in a climate catastrophe. And the only thing you’re afraid of is tomato soup or mashed potatoes on a painting,” the young woman said.

“Do you know what I’m afraid of? That science say that we will not be able to feed our families in 2050. Does it take mashed potatoes on a painting to make you listen? This painting will be worth nothing when we are fighting over food. When is the point that you will finally listen and not just carry on as before?,” she continued.

Two other protesters glued themselves to the floor as part of the demonstration.

A police spokesman told the German dpa news agency that two of the protesters were arrested and were being investigated for potential trespassing and damage of property.