Two climate activists on Monday vandalised King Charles III’s waxwork statue at Madame Tussauds in London.
Video footage posted on social media showed the two protesters wearing Just Stop Oil T-shirts smearing cake over the lifelike model of the British monarch.
The clip, shared on Just Stop Oil’s Twitter page, showed the pair walking up to the waxwork of King Charles III, which stood next to statues of Queen Consort Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton.
They were seen removing their black clothing to reveal white ‘Just Stop Oil’ T-shirts. Moments later, one of the activists was then heard shouting it was “time for action” before throwing chocolate cake over the statue.
“Two supporters of Just Stop Oil have covered a Madame Tussauds waxwork model of King Charles III with chocolate cake, demanding that the Government halts all new oil and gas licences and consents,” the campaign group wrote on Twitter. Watch the clip:
4 People Arrested for Criminal Damage
“At approximately 10:50 am today (Oct 24) protestors entered the ‘World Stage’ Zone at Madame Tussauds London and appeared to throw what is believed to be cake at our figures of The Royal Family,” museum officials tweeted.
“Our security team dealt with the incident quickly and we are working closely with the Metropolitan Police on this matter. The attraction remains open, with our Royal Family set closed temporarily,” Madame Tussauds added.
According to The Independent, the demonstrators addressed the crowd after the protest, with one of them saying, “The demand is simple. Just Stop Oil is a piece of cake.”
On the other hand, the Metropolitan Police, which immediately responded to the incident, said that four people have been arrested for criminal damage following the protest.
Recent String of Attacks by Activist Groups Across Europe
Monday’s incident is the latest in a string of actions by activist groups across Europe. On Sunday, two demonstrators threw mashed potatoes at a Monet painting worth $110 million in Germany. The Barberini Museum said that because the painting was enclosed in glass, the activists did not cause any damage.
Earlier this month, Just Stop Oil protesters sprayed orange paint on the Harrods showroom in central London. A video shared on social media showed two demonstrators spraying orange paint on the windows of the luxury department store. The activists also staged a sit-in protest on Knightsbridge with banners. Some demonstrators even glued themselves to the road and locked themselves together.
Just Stop Oil has warned that its protests will continue until their demand for an end to all new oil and gas licenses is met by the UK government.
