This is the moment two climate protesters glued themselves to a famous artwork at the Manchester Art Gallery.
Two young supporters of Just Stop Oil glued themselves to the frame of a 19th-century Turner painting at the gallery on Mosley Street in Manchester city centre this afternoon leading to the venue being evacuated.
Video of the protest shows two men wearing Just Stop Oil t-shirts each applying glue to one of their hands and sticking it to the frame of the 1809 oil painting. 'No new oil' was also spray painted to the floor in front of it.
READ MORE:
Just Stop Oil say they are campaigning for "the government to end new oil and gas and for art institutions to join them in civil resistance."
The painting depicts a view overlooking the River Thames from Richmond Hill in London and in a statement issued this afternoon the group said that flood risk mapping suggested the area could be regularly underwater as early as 2030.
One of the protestors, a university student in his 20s said: “I would like to say to anyone and everyone who is reading this, you may think this action is outrageous or scandalous but what choice do I have?
"The Government is knowingly destroying the futures of young people and condemning billions of people all over the world to death by continuing to license new fossil fuel infrastructure.
“How far would you be willing to go to save the life of someone you love? What about the future of humanity? I cannot carry on living my life as if this is not happening. I am willing to do anything I can to wake people up and to stop this grotesque catastrophe from unfolding, even if it means sacrificing my liberty.”
Another, a graduate also in his 20s, said "no one gets a free pass" and that "directors of art institutions should be calling on the government to stop all new oil and gas projects immediately.”
In the video of the protest, a staff member at the gallery can be heard asking a colleague to call 999 before urging the men - who were attempting to explain why they were taking the action - to be quiet as she waits for officers to arrive. "You have defaced our property," she says, as she tells them "I don't want to hear a word of what you have to say" and to "make it a silent protest."
Earlier Greater Manchester Police said: "We’re aware of two protestors causing disruption in the Manchester Art Gallery, and officers are in attendance.
"The Gallery has been evacuated as a precaution to allow the incident to be brought to a safe conclusion and minimise impact to the public."
Around 40 minutes later they said: "This has now been resolved and two people have been safely detained. Thank you for everyone's cooperation nearby."
A spokesman for the force confirmed two men had been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.
Manchester City Council which runs the gallery has not commented on the incident, though the Manchester Evening News understands the painting and its frame are now being assessed by conservators.
Yesterday two young supporters of the group were arrested at the Courtauld Gallery in London after they glued themselves to the frame of Peach Trees in Blossom by Vincent Van Gogh.
READ NEXT:
Government deputy chief whip resigns after 'drinking too much and embarrassing himself and others'
Boris Johnson facing calls to expel former Tory deputy chief whip who quit after drunken incident
Security staff ‘left teenager in nightclub toilet with woman he allegedly raped’
Post Office strikes announced after 'leadership failures' and 'unfair pay rises'
Overground HS2 Piccadilly plan is 'cutting off Manchester's ambition'
