Mona Lisa attacked, again! Do disruptive climate protests actually serve the purpose?
On Sunday, climate activists passed under a security barrier and hurled soup at the glass protecting the iconic Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” at the Louvre Museum in Paris and shouted slogans advocating for a sustainable food system.
“Our farming system is sick. Our farmers are dying at work,” they said. Paris police informed that a couple of people have been arrested following the incident. The Louvre employees could be seen putting black panels in front of the masterpiece and asking visitors to evacuate.
Is French government breaking climate commitments?
A clip posted on social media showed two women with “FOOD RIPOSTE” written on their T-shirts throwing the soup at the bulletproof glass. Nonetheless, this is not the first time the “Mona Lisa” has been targeted by activists.
In 2022, a man smeared cream cake on the painting. He had disguised himself as an elderly lady in a wheelchair, presumably in order to gain access to the spot right in front of the painting reserved for the handicapped, CBS News quoted visitors as saying.
The Food Riposte group said the Government of France is breaking its climate commitments and called for the equivalent of the country’s state-sponsored health care system to be put in place to give people better access to healthy food and providing farmers a decent income.
For days, angry French farmers have been setting up road blockades and slow traffic, to seek better remuneration for their produce, less red tape and protection against cheap imports. They have also been dumping agricultural refuge at the gates of government offices.
Disruptive climate protests: do they help or harm?
In recent years, climate activists are increasingly turning to disruptive and provocative acts to make their point. But such protests risk driving away their allies and repression from authorities. Research says depending on the target audience, different levels of disruption are appropriate.
Eric Shuman, who studies the psychology of protest and collective action, believes protests such as peaceful gatherings and petitions are more effective at drawing support from people who might be sympathetic to the cause, according to DW.
“[Opponents] aren’t necessarily going to ever be supportive or probably even like the protesters. But by causing some sort of disruption, you’re basically putting pressure on them to make some sort of change or support some sort of change so that disruption will go away,” he added.
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But for disruptive tactics, such as civil disobedience, strikes and boycotts, to be effective, protesters must have constructive intentions, otherwise they risk looking like a nuisance to society. They need to maintain such an image to receive a response from policymakers.
