Eco-warriors behind the attack on Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers are plotting to infiltrate BBC flagship politics programme Question Time.
Just Stop Oil activists threw tomato soup over the £76million masterpiece in London’s National Gallery on Friday.
The group, which wants the Government to stop all new oil and gas exploration, could try to launch a protest during the filming of the show, it is understood.
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An activist called Forest unveiled the plan in an invite-only Just Stop Oil group on encrypted messaging app Signal earlier this week.
Speaking about the possibility of getting into the studio, they asked fellow supporters: “Could this be a good opportunity for a little spiciness if some of us can get in the audience? Or at least get in and ask a decent question?” Minutes later the message was deleted.
The latest proposed action was revealed as two activists appeared before Westminster magistrates charged with criminal damage offences.
Phoebe Plummer, 21, from London, and Anna Holland, 20, from Newcastle, allegedly attacked the artwork and glued themselves to a wall.
A third woman, Lora Johnson, 38, of Southwold, Suffolk, also appeared in court accused of damaging a sign outside Scotland Yard.
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Just Stop Oil has been protesting in London for the past two weeks in what it describes as the UK’s “biggest ever civil disobedience campaign”. The planned demos, first revealed by the Sunday Mirror in August, have already seen hundreds arrested after blocking roads and bridges across the capital and are expected to carry on for weeks.
The Met Police said 28 arrests were made after Friday’s protests.
A force spokesman added: “The other 25 people have been bailed pending further inquiries.” The Question Time plot revelation comes less than two weeks after Greenpeace activists interrupted Liz Truss ’s first speech as Prime Minister at the Tory Party conference.
Greenpeace UK’s head of politics Rebecca Newsom and policy officer Ami McCarthy were ejected from the event by security after holding up a banner asking: “Who voted for this?”
Since 2017, Question Time, hosted by Fiona Bruce, has faced accusations of bias over the make-up of its audiences.
The corporation was alleged to have let both hard-left and far-right activists infiltrate the audience to heckle guests.
A BBC spokesman said then that Question Time was a show in which the audience held those in power to account.
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Beeb sources denied seeking audience members from extremist groups.
Around 20 Just Stop Oil supporters formed a roadblock on Shoreditch High Street, East London, yesterday.
One angry driver, who said he was trying to get his partner to hospital, remonstrated with protestors.
He told them: “My missus is not well, mate. Get out of the f***ing way.
“Have some respect for other people, not just yourselves. There’s other people that need to get places.”
