The prosecution on Wednesday requested the release of an environmental activist, tried in Paris for having pasted a poster on the painting “The Coquelicots” by Claude Monet at the Orsay Museum in order to denounce climate change.
This 22-year-old activist was on trial before the 17th criminal chamber of the Paris judicial court for willful damage to cultural property.
The work “Les Coquelicots” by the painter Claude Monet, exhibited at the Musée d'Orsay as part of the exhibition “Paris 1874. Inventing Impressionism”, was protected by “plexiglass” and “fortunately was spared” , insisted the public prosecutor, requesting acquittal for the damage to the painting.
The facts date back to June 1, 2024. Around 10:00 a.m., a young woman dressed in a white t-shirt on which was written “+ 4°C, hell”, hung a red sticker on the board, “around 50 centimeters long” representing an apocalyptic landscape, before sticking his hand to the wall.
The defendant, who is an activist within the Food Response movement (formerly Last Renovation), then gave a speech describing the “hell” that awaits the population in the event of government inaction in the face of climate change.
The painting was taken down and taken care of by a restorer who noticed no damage.
The young woman was placed in police custody.
The scene, filmed live, was broadcast on the Riposte Alimentaire X account, which defends sustainable food and has been increasing its actions for several months.
At the hearing, the young woman acknowledged the facts and clarified that the idea of this action was to present the “contrast” between “an impressionist painting which will sublimate nature” and the fact that by “continuing like that” , this beauty “will no longer exist except in paintings”.
However, she assured that “if there had been no window, the civil resistance action” would not have taken place.
The Musée d'Orsay, which became a civil party, assessed its material damage at 27,788 euros during the hearing, due to the work to remove the poster from the protective glass and the closure of the exhibition. .
The defense argued in favor of the acquittal, considering that “convicting her would constitute a disproportionate attack on her freedom of expression”.
The activist had already been sentenced in 2023 to a two-month suspended prison sentence and a citizenship training period for similar acts.
In this case, she was initially to be tried in immediate appearance, but had requested time to prepare her defense.
The judgment has been reserved and will be delivered on January 21.
