CBS News
Eco-activists who threw soup on Vincent van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” painting sentenced
Two British climate activists who nearly destroyed Vincent van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” when they threw tomato soup on the masterpiece two years ago were sentenced to at least 20 months in prison on Friday.
Pheobe Plummer, 23, received a two-year sentence while Anna Holland, 22, was sent to prison for 20 months.
In October 2022, the pair threw two cans of Heinz tomato soup over the artwork at London’s National Gallery before kneeling in front of it. They then glued their hands to the wall beneath the painting.
According to Just Stop Oil, the pair were demanding the U.K. government halt all new oil and gas projects.
Just Stop Oil / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
In a post on X at the time, the activist group blamed the current economic turmoil and the climate crisis facing the world on fossil fuels, asking: “Is art worth more than life? More than food?”
The pair were found guilty of criminal damage by a jury in July.
Over the past few years, Just Stop Oil has been behind a series of high-profile stunts, including at major sporting events and on Britain’s transport networks. The attack on “Sunflowers” was the second artwork at the National Gallery targeted in 2022, after two Just Stop Oil activists glued themselves to John Constable’s “The Hay Wain.”
Van Gogh’s 1888 masterpiece, painted in Arles in the south of France, was not damaged in the 2022 attack as it was covered by protective glass.
However, the gold-colored frame suffered $13,000 worth of damage. Museum staff had worried that the soup could have dripped through and caused immeasurable damage to the painting.
In June, activists with the group sprayed several of the ancient stones of Britain’s iconic Stonehenge site with an orange substance. A video released by the group showed two activists running toward the prehistoric stones of the UNESCO World Heritage Site with what looked like fire extinguishers and then spraying them with what the group said was “orange paint powder.” Two people were arrested.
In sentencing the two activists Friday, Judge Christopher Hehir said the artwork could have been “seriously damaged or even destroyed.”
Hehir was also the judge in the case against Roger Hallam, the co-founder of Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion, another environmental campaigning group, and had sentenced him to five years.
Kristian Buus/In Pictures via Getty Images
On Friday, he took aim at Plummer.
“You clearly think your beliefs give you the right to commit crimes when you feel like it,” he said. “You do not.”
Plummer, who represented herself and who had pleaded guilty, told the hearing that she would accept “with a smile” whatever verdict came her way.
“It is not just myself being sentenced today, or my co-defendants, but the foundations of democracy itself,” she said.
Five days after her guilty verdict in July, Plummer was arrested for spraying paint on departure boards at Heathrow Airport.
James Manning/PA Images via Getty Images
Lawyer Raj Chada, defending Holland, said the two women checked that the “Sunflowers” was protected by a glass cover before throwing the soup.
A number of Just Stop Oil supporters gathered outside the court, some holding posters of historical figures jailed for activism.
HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images
Getty Images
Holiday spending this year is expected to tick up from what it was in 2023. And it’s not like last year was exactly cheap, with consumers forecasted to spend 7% more than they did then, bringing the expected new average to around $2,100. But for those who are expected to cover these via a credit card, that could be problematic.
The average American has around $8,000 in credit card debt currently. With the average credit card interest rate recently surging to 23%, approximately – a record high – that means many Americans are already struggling with debt. And that’s before the bulk of their holiday shopping has even been completed.
Against this backdrop, many credit card users may be considering their debt relief options. One effective way to reduce what you owe is credit card debt forgiveness. But should you apply for this option before the holidays or are you better served by waiting until January? That’s what we’ll explore below.
See how much of your debt a forgiveness program could help with here now.
Should you apply for credit card debt forgiveness before the holidays?
The short answer is: It depends. If you’re in a position where you’ve exhausted all of your alternative debt relief options and can’t repay your credit card debt, then forgiveness could be worth exploring immediately, including before the holiday season kicks off. Waiting to ask for relief could be a costly mistake, particularly if you plan to increase your credit card spending during the season, as many Americans plan to do.
On the other hand, credit card debt forgiveness isn’t an overnight fix. It can take years to be effective and, even then, it will only likely erase somewhere between 30% to 50% of your outstanding balance. So it makes sense to pursue this option when you’re in a dire position – and when your spending can be legitimately curtailed. If you know that you need to increase your credit card debt, at least for November and December, it may be more beneficial to wait for a time when you can afford to stop swiping your card.
This all noted, every credit card user’s experience is different and there may be exceptions to this broad advice. If you’re unsure of which applies to you, it makes sense to first speak to a financial advisor for guidance. Consider speaking to a debt relief provider, too, although they will have a financial incentive to get you set up with a service. So keep that in mind when speaking to a representative.
Start exploring your credit card debt forgiveness options online today.
How to qualify for credit card debt forgiveness
Not everyone with a credit card balance can secure forgiveness. Users will need to qualify for help and, even then, it will take time to reduce what you owe (assuming you don’t add to it in the interim). Here are three important credit card debt forgiveness qualifications to know:
Minimum debt: Most credit card debt forgiveness servicers won’t work with you if your debt is under $7,500. In these cases, the debt is largely considered manageable and other alternative debt relief options may be more helpful. That said, if you’re burdened with a debt of $10,000 or more, credit card debt forgiveness could provide critical support.
Financial hardship: Is there a specific reason behind your inability to repay all that you’ve borrowed? If you’re able to demonstrate a financial hardship preventing you from paying anything – even minimum payments – you can boost your eligibility chances. Financial hardship examples include but are not limited to job losses and health issues.
Failure to pay: It may seem counterintuitive, but if you’ve already stopped making your credit card payments or are already in collections, this can help improve your qualification chances. This demonstrates a true inability to pay your bills, which many credit card debt forgiveness providers will want to see before agreeing to help.
The bottom line
Applying for credit card debt forgiveness is a personal decision, weighed heavily by your unique qualifications and financial situation. But if you need help and know that you can’t dig out of your financial hole, it doesn’t make sense to delay it, even with the pending holiday season. By taking action now you can start improving your credit and work toward regaining your financial freedom in the new year.
Learn more about credit card debt forgiveness here.
Marek Mnich/Getty Images
With the holiday season just days away and, with it, the commencement of shopping, many Americans may be wondering about what to gift to family members and friends. This is a popular time for selling and buying gold, whether it be in the form of jewelry or just simple gold bars and coins. And even though the price has been elevated for much of 2024, it can still be affordable for many in the form of fractional gold.
That said, there are multiple benefits of gifting gold bars and coins, particularly during this upcoming holiday season. Below, we’ll break down three big benefits buyers should be aware of currently.
Start exploring your top gold options online now.
3 big benefits of gifting gold bars and coins this holiday season
Not sure if gold is worth giving now? Here are three reasons why it could be a smart gift:
Rising value
Despite a small drop in the price at the start of November, gold has been on a steady upward trend for much of 2024, breaking numerous price records throughout the year before surpassing the $2,700 mark at the end of October. Currently priced at $2,702.94 per ounce, according to American Hartford Gold, gold is positioned to break additional records, possibly before the holidays even begin.
Understanding the real potential of rising value, then, buyers would be well-served by gifting gold bars and coins today, even if they’re in a smaller, more affordable size. Waiting, however, could cause the price to become prohibitive. So start your holiday gold shopping sooner rather than later.
Get started with gold here today.
A tangible investment
You can invest in gold in multiple ways but gold bars and coins are one of the few tangible ways to do so. Gift receivers can hold them in their hands, inspect them and store them for safekeeping on their own. This feature is a major advantage compared to other, more opaque gold types like stocks, futures and ETFs. While you can, theoretically, gift those other gold investment types, too, only gold bars and coins can provide the same experience as other, more conventional gift types.
It’s easy to buy
Gold bars and coins aren’t like other hot holiday gift ideas. They’re ubiquitous and easy to purchase both online and in person. Big retailers like Costco and Walmart sell them in their stores and on their websites (and some even sell silver, too). So if you’re worried about your ability to be able to secure this sort of gift, don’t be. That said, as the holidays get closer, it’s possible retailers could sell out of these items (as Costco has in the past). So don’t wait until Christmas Eve to act, either.
The bottom line
There are scarce gift options this year that will come with a rising value, tangible and visible benefits and an easy ability to be purchased by shoppers. But gold bars and coins offer all of those benefits right now. So if you want to add a shiny precious metal to your shopping list this holiday season, gold may be the best one to consider.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
