A muppet who glued himself to a Vincent Van Gogh painting has compared himself to Martin Luther King in court.
Just Stop Oil activist Louis McKechnie and Emily Brocklebank (lol) caused £2,000 worth of damage to the frame of Peach Trees in Blossom at the Courtauld Gallery in London.
According to LBC:
Johnathan Bryan, prosecuting, told Westminster Magistrates’ Court how the activists had used super glue to attach their hands to the 18th century painting on June 30.
Brocklebank, from Yeadon in Leeds, appeared in court in person while McKechnie, from Weymouth, Dorset, appeared in custody from HMP Peterborough. Both had denied the charges.
McKechnie was jailed for six-weeks in September when he tied himself to a goalpost a Premier League match between Everton and Newcastle in March, causing the match to be put on hold.
Giving his evidence, McKechnie said: “I believed that a completely logical person who is not a psychopath who owns a painting of this value by Vincent Van Gogh would have respected the artist’s wishes.
“He said himself that the art of nature is not as valuable as nature itself.”
Asked if the protests were getting much public backing, he said: “In 1960, Martin Luther King was the most hated man in America.
“The Civil rights moving still worked. It’s not a popularity contest – people don’t have to like what we’re doing.”
Meanwhile Brocklebank, a student, told the court: “When it comes to protesting, just speaking does not get a platform.
“By gluing, it gives a story which the media chooses to follow.
“I didn’t think I would cause much damage. Glue comes off.
“Any good human would agree with trying to sustain life on Earth.”
Sentencing the pair, District Judge Neeta Minhas said: “An 18th century frame which is hundreds of years old has been permanently damaged.
“It is not in a state where it can return to its original state.”
She added: “The painting has significant, historical and art value and I consider the damage to be substantial.
“It is not minor, insignificant, temporary or trivial.”
She said: “I find you both guilty of criminal damage, having no lawful excuse to cause damage but you did so on a reckless basis.”
Francesca Cociani, defending the pair, said McKechnie believed an owner who “respected the wishes of the painter” would have “consented to minor damage”.
McKechnie was jailed for three weeks, Brocklebank received a 21 day prison sentence suspended for six months. She was also ordered to wear an electronic monitoring tag.
