Eco-warriors target King Charles portrait with graffiti in attack at art gallery
This portrait of King Charles was painted at Birkhall by Victoria Crowe, on the Balmoral estate.
Twitter/This Is Rigged
Eco-activists from the Scottish direct action group This Is Rigged have applied pink spray paint to a King Charles portrait exhibited in Edinburgh.
Singling out the painting of the monarch in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, two protesters took a stencil to the artwork before supergluing themselves to the floor.
The pontificating pranksters emblazoned King Charles III with their logo, before spraying the words: “The people are mightier than a lord.”
This Gaelic saying was previously adopted as a rallying cry by the Highland Land League, which used direct action to oppose unscrupulous landlords in the 1880s.
Fortunately protective glass means that the painting is safe from permanent damage
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Activist Ben Taylor, a 28-year-old gardener from Ayrshire, said: “Why does the Scottish government think it’s acceptable to keep allowing new oil and gas projects to go ahead, without even opposing them?
“If we want a future for our young people, they need to oppose all new oil and gas licences.
“This is the most basic step they can take to secure a chance at a liveable future.
“Until this happens, we will continue to target the Scottish government, forcing them to use the powers they do have to stand up for the people.”
The group have conducted blockades of fuel refineries in Scotland
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This Is Rigged have so far disrupted First Minister's Questions in the Scottish Parliament on multiple occasions, smashed the glass encasing William Wallace’s sword, thrown paint on Holyrood, spray painted areas of Glasgow, and interrupted a Scottish Energy Forum dinner.
Alongside Taylor, a 21 year old teacher from Lisbon, said: “In Portugal, it’s 40C in the shade, right now. We’re going through unbearable heat, and it’s only going to get worse.
“Scotland is the biggest oil producer in Europe (and second-biggest gas producer), and these emissions affect everyone.
“We all have a responsibility to stop them, and ensure a fair transition for oil and gas workers.”
This Is Rigged activists atop The Kelpies
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The Scottish direct action campaign is demanding the government “oppose all new fossil fuel projects in Scotland,” and “create a clear and fully funded transition for our oil and gas workers.”
The group promised: “We will continue in non-violent resistance until our demands are met”
The group has also blockaded fuel suppliers in Scotland by occupying the NuStar Terminal in Clydebank, with fuel prevented from leaving both terminals, cutting off the majority of Scotland’s petroleum supplies.
ECO-PROTESTS LATEST:
The Kelpies is a 100ft tall steel artwork near the Grangemouth Refinery,
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On Sunday, two activists climbed The Kelpies to declare that they would not be “lured underwater” by the fossil fuels industry.
The Kelpies is a 100ft tall steel artwork near the Grangemouth Refinery, one of the only crude oil refineries in Scotland.
According to Scottish folklore, a kelpie is a shape shifting horse resembling spirit found in lochs, which tempts children to swim before drowning them.
The group said of their direct action: “The land on which The Kelpies were built will be submerged underwater by 2050. Isn’t this a bit ironic?”
This portrait of King Charles was painted at Birkhall by Victoria Crowe, on the Balmoral estate in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire.