Dutch appeals court spares jail time for climate activists who targeted Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring

A Dutch appeals court has annulled two-month prison sentences for three Belgian climate activists who attached themselves to Johannes Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring (1665) at The Hague's Mauritshuis museum in October 2022. The activists, linked to Just Stop Oil Belgium, had already been in custody for 23 days prior to their trial, which the court considered adequate punishment. One activist tried to glue his shaved head to the painting's protective glass, while another poured tomato soup over him and affixed his hand to the wall. A third participant filmed the event, which gained significant traction on social media, including Twitter/X. The Mauritshuis confirmed that the artwork was unharmed and was displayed again the next day, although the frame was damaged. The court noted that imposing stricter penalties could deter peaceful protests and freedom of expression. This protest was part of a larger European initiative that began in May 2022, where activists targeted iconic artworks to highlight climate issues. One protester raised the question of why people react strongly to endangered art but not to environmental devastation.