Protesters throw soup at Mona Lisa in Paris

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Protesters throw soup at Mona Lisa in Paris
theguardian.com

Visitors at Louvre look on in shock as Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece attacked by environmental protesters

Two environmental protesters have hurled soup on to the Mona Lisa at the Louvre in Paris, calling for “healthy and sustainable food”. The painting, which was behind bulletproof glass, appeared to be undamaged.

Gallery visitors looked on in shock as two women threw the yellow-coloured soup before climbing under the barrier in front of the work and flanking the splattered painting, their right hands held up in a salute-like gesture.

One of the two activists removed her jacket to reveal a white T-shirt bearing the slogan of the environmental activist group Riposte Alimentaire (Food Response) in black letters.

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Well we disagree. I think protests qua protests are interesting to talk about, same for climate protests, civil rights, the role of art, the role of art conservation, and even soup is pretty interesting.

Couldn't have just used any of the socially acceptable ways to protest? This is France ffs, they are the world leaders in organizing a protest. You piss the French off and you got a march on your hands.

there are no socially acceptable ways to protest - that is the definition of protest.

Yes there is no way to protest in France. No one in France has ever taken part in a demonstration complete with signs. Everyone knows that the French people just go gently into that good night when their government does something wrong. It isn't like they have a literal holiday celebrating the storming of a jail.

Everyone heard that? The French never protest. All the million articles you have heard about strikes and demonstrations in France never occurred.

isn't "storming a jail" the very definition of not "socially acceptable"?

Could they vote? No? Nothing to talk about.

Now care to address the rest of the comment or the one gotcha you think you found?

I really don't understand your point. You say that throwing soup at a glass display case because of food insecurity is reprehensible, but rioting in the street and attacking the police is socially acceptable because it concerns voting rights?

No.

Protests in a democracy are not the same in a dictatorship. In a dictatorship there aren't really ways to influence change other than violence. In a democracy there is. Different social systems, different rules.

In the end, I think it's no different than religious fanatics destroying part of their culture because they disagree with it. They prove nothing. They accomplish nothing.