“Police were called and three people have been arrested,” the gallery’s statement said. “The paintings were removed from display and examined by a conservator. The paintings are unharmed.”
One of the paintings was the same one that two Just Stop Oil activists threw tomato soup at two years ago, drawing worldwide attention to the climate protest group.
Although the painting itself was unharmed at the time, the 17th-century frame was damaged, for which Southwark Crown Court sentenced the two activists to two years and 20 months in prison respectively.
According to the Telegraph, visitors were escorted out by security guards, who then locked the doors to the room in the exhibition.