Climate activists attacked a famous Degas sculpture at a major museum in Washington on Thursday, but the work was protected by a Plexiglas cage that they daubed with paint, AFP reported.

The French artist’s original wax sculpture “La Petite Danseuse de quatorze ans” (The Little Dancer of 14) was “attacked by protesters with streaks of red and black paint”, the National Gallery of Art, one of the world’s leading museums, announced. The United States. This is one of the first promotions of its kind in North America.

In a statement sent to AFP, the institution said the “priceless” work had been removed from the exhibition halls to “assess any damage” it may have sustained.

“We strongly condemn this physical attack on one of our works of art,” the museum said in a statement, adding that the US Federal Police (FBI) was involved in the investigation.

“We need our leaders to take serious action to tell the truth about what’s happening to the climate,” said the 50-year-old activist, who sits at the foot of a small statue, her hands covered in red paint used for glass and on a work pedestal Edgar Degas, in a video published by the Washington Post.

“Today, through nonviolent insurrection, we temporarily defaced a work of art to remember the real children whose suffering will undoubtedly happen if fossil fuel companies continue to extract coal, oil and gas from the earth,” wrote the group claiming responsibility. on Instagram. actions, declare a state of emergency.

He calls on US President Joe Biden to declare a climate emergency.

The group, previously unknown to the general public, reported that one of its activists was soon released by the authorities.

In the fall of 2022, especially in Europe, environmental activists stepped up their actions against artworks to warn the public about global warming.

For example, they glued their hands to a Goya painting in Madrid, sprinkled tomato soup on Van Gogh’s “Sunflower” in London, and mashed potatoes on Claude Monet’s masterpiece in Potsdam near Berlin.