Activists from an animal rights group vandalized the first official portrait of King Charles III, which is currently on display in a London gallery. On Tuesday, June 11, the campaign group Animal Rising posted a video on its social media channels showing two activists using a paint roller to stick signs over the portrait of the monarch.
The public has had free access to view the portrait at the Philip Mould gallery in central London until June 21. The painting, the first official portrait of King Charles as monarch, garnered attention when it was unveiled earlier this year. Artist Jonathon Yeo depicted the king against a background of crimson red brush strokes, which sparked mixed reactions.
The artwork by British artist Jonathan Yeo depicts King Charles with a butterfly appearing to land on his right shoulder as he emerges from a fiery red background.
The activist group claimed responsibility for the vandalism in social media posts, highlighting their recent report on the “RSPCA Assured” label attached to some food products, which is intended to signify high animal welfare standards.
Activists covered the king’s head with an image of Wallace, the British cartoon character from the Wallace and Gromit comedy series. They also tacked a speech bubble onto the painting with the caption, “No cheese Gromit, look at all of this cruelty on RSPCA farms.”
‼️BREAKING: No Cheese Gromit! King Charles Portrait Redecorated‼️ @RoyalFamily
‼️Find out why King Charles, Patron of the RSPCA should ask them to drop the Assured Scheme -> https://t.co/KTZwbikAaV 👈 pic.twitter.com/3pbemlZCE0
— Animal Rising (@AnimalRising) June 11, 2024
‼️BREAKING: No Cheese Gromit! King Charles Portrait Redecorated‼️ @RoyalFamily
‼️Find out why King Charles, Patron of the RSPCA should ask them to drop the Assured Scheme -> https://t.co/pTneW0QCWf 👈 pic.twitter.com/jYLHFuxtHB
— Animal Rising (@AnimalRising) June 11, 2024
The action was intended to draw attention to a new report released by the group which investigated 45 farms whose welfare standards are guaranteed by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).
The RSPCA’s Assured scheme promises that animals on these farms are given more living space and are never kept in cages. Meat, fish, and dairy products from these farms are marked with the RSPCA logo. Animal Rising described their findings as “damning,” alleging severe animal cruelty at all the farms they visited.
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