Just Stop Oil activists attack Velázquez's 'Rokeby Venus' at London's National Gallery

Two Just Stop Oil activists used emergency rescue hammers to strike the protective glass covering Diego Velázquez's painting 'The Toilet of Venus' (1647-51) at London's National Gallery. The museum reported the incident on Twitter/X, stating that police were called and two arrests were made. The activists, identified by the group as Hanan (22) and Harrison (20), targeted the work known as the 'Rokeby Venus,' which was previously slashed in 1914 by suffragette Mary Richardson. Just Stop Oil claimed responsibility on social media, linking the action to government plans for new oil licenses. The painting underwent restoration after the 1914 attack and remains one of the few Velázquez works in public collections. Damage to the actual canvas is currently unclear. The protest follows a series of similar actions by the environmental activist organization in public spaces and events.