On Tuesday, June 11, an animal rights group pasted a cartoon picture over a portrait of King Charles III at a London art gallery following a series of incidents at UK museums as activists used vandalism to publicize their causes.
Jonathan Yeo's blood-red painting was the first official portrait of Charles since his coronation last year after being unveiled at Buckingham Palace in May. The painting depicts the king in shades of red with his hands clasped atop the hilt of his sword and a butterfly flitting above his right shoulder.
A group called Animal Rising posted a video on Instagram showing protesters pasting Wallace, a fictional character from the 'Wallace and Gromit' comic series, over the king's head.
The Telegraph said the group chose 'Wallace and Gromit' because Charles is a fan of the cartoon characters.
According to Animal Rising, the so-called "comic redecoration" was intended to draw attention to an investigation conducted at farms approved by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The group said it had found extensive violations of animal husbandry regulations.
Wallace's speech bubble said next to his head, "No cheese, Gromit. Look at all this cruelty on RSPCA farms!"
The Philip Mould Gallery, where it is on display, claimed that a plastic sheet protected the painting.
Furthermore, the portrait was commissioned to honor Charles' 50 years as a member of the Drapers' Company, which was founded over 600 years ago as a trade association for wool merchants but is now predominantly a philanthropic organization.
On Friday, May 10, two climate change protesters targeted the British Library's original Magna Carta's protected glass case. The 800-year-old document, regarded as one of the cornerstones of Western democracy, was not harmed.
