An open letter from Just Stop Oil and Youth Demand: 'we need institutions to confront their responsibilities'

These are the actions of a public who are scared, angry, but unwilling to give up. People unafraid to use the cultural power of their national institutions when those institutions fail to do so.

We note that your statement does not acknowledge the climate emergency or your responsibilities as custodians of our national treasures. They are in danger from the deadly storms, fires, and social upheaval that threaten museums in Florida and Athens.

Today you take issue with soup and stickers, but tomorrow you will contend with rising waters in the Thames and deadly heat waves in the city. People disrupt museum and gallery spaces to break the illusion that everything is fine.

Since Just Stop Oil's campaign began in March 2022 their first demand to end new oil and gas licenses in the UK has been met. For this successful campaign Phoebe and Anna, who threw soup in the National Gallery, were imprisoned.

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