CNN –
Demonstrators in Paris on Sunday threw soup at the “Mona Lisa” painting, which was protected from damage by its glass cover.
Environmental group Riposte Alimentaire – which roughly translates to “Food Response” – said two protesters involved in its campaign were behind the vandalism.
A video of the incident shows protesters throwing orange soup from bottles before ducking under a protective barrier to address onlookers. “What is more important: art or the right to a healthy and sustainable diet?” you can hear people asking.
Louvre employees are then seen moving black screens back and forth between visitors and protesters.
The museum evacuated the “Salle des Etats” room that houses the “Mona Lisa,” although it has since reopened.
“Two activists from the environmental movement 'Riposte Alimentaire' sprayed pumpkin soup on the bulletproof glass protecting the Mona Lisa this Sunday, January 28, 2024, at approximately 10 a.m. (4 a.m. ET),” the museum said in a statement. “The Louvre security personnel immediately intervened.”
The museum said it would file a complaint.
In a series of social media posts about the incident, Riposte Alimentaire said it wanted to draw attention to unsustainable food production and hunger in France and called for “the integration of food into the general social security system.”
According to its website, Riposte Alimentaire is part of the A22 network, a group of activist groups – including Just Stop Oil, which organized a similar attack on Vincent van Gogh's “Sunflowers” in London in 2022 – known for disruptive climate protests.
The incident came amid widespread demonstrations by French farmers against pay, competition and government regulations.
In a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, French Culture Minister Rachida Dati condemned the Louvre protest. “The Mona Lisa, like our heritage, belongs to future generations,” she wrote. “No reason can justify being targeted!”
“I express my full support to the staff of @museeLouvre,” added Dati, who was appointed culture minister by new French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal earlier this month.
Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece “Mona Lisa” hangs in the Louvre and is probably the most famous painting in the world. Each year, millions of visitors line up to see, photograph or pose with the small work of art, which stands just over 2.5 feet tall and less than 2 feet wide.
The enigmatic portrait dates back to the early 16th century and is no stranger to both vandalism and theft.
It was stolen by a Louvre employee in 1911, increasing its international notoriety, and in the 1950s the underside of the canvas was subjected to an acid attack, prompting the museum to increase protective measures around the work, including bulletproof glass.
In 2009, a woman angrily threw a ceramic mug at the painting, breaking the mug but leaving the painting intact.
Then, in 2022, a visitor smeared icing on the Renaissance painting's protective glass.
CNN's Jacqui Palumbo contributed to this report.