Mary Richardson Life story


Mary Raleigh Richardson was a Canadian suffragette active in the women's suffrage movement in the United Kingdom, an arsonist, a socialist parliamentary candidate and later head of the women's section of the British Union of Fascists led by Sir Oswald Mosley.

Just Stop Oil: Activists arrested after National Gallery painting damaged

Nov 11,2021 5:17 am

By Adriana ElguetaBBC News

Two Just Stop Oil protesters have been arrested after glass protecting the Rokeby Venus painting at the National Gallery in London was smashed.

The Met Police said two activists had been arrested on suspicion of causing Criminal Damage .

Just Stop Oil named the pair as Hanan, 22, and Harrison, 20, and said safety hammers were used to smash the glass.

Meanwhile, police said at least 40 Just Stop Oil protesters were arrested after slow marching in The Road at Whitehall.

The vandalised artwork, by Diego Velazquez in the 1600s, was previously slashed by suffragette Mary Richardson in 1914.

Following the latest incident, Just Stop Oil said: " Women did not get the vote by voting, it is time for deeds not words. It is time to Just Stop Oil.

" Politics is failing us. It failed women in 1914 and it is failing us now. New oil and gas will kill millions. If we love art, if we love life, if we love our families we must Just Stop Oil. "

Meanwhile, The Met Police said it made the arrests at Whitehall " within 15 minutes".

Protesters failing to engage with officers can be arrested under section 7 of the Public Order Act introduced this year.

It states that an arrest can be made if their actions " interfere with the use or operation of any key national infrastructure in England and Wales".

The government said the new measures would not ban protests, but " only prevent a small minority of individuals from causing serious disruption to The Daily lives of The Public ".

A series of Just Stop Oil protests have taken place in recent days, including on Wednesday when More Than 30 people were charged after blocking Earl's Court Road.

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Source of news: bbc.com

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