A JUST Stop Oil campaigner facing a potential prison sentence for throwing soup over Vincent van Gogh paintings has spoken out against court rulings limiting protesters’ rights to mount a defence of their actions.

Ludi Simpson, 71, from Bradford in West Yorkshire, was one of three Just Stop Oil campaigners arrested after throwing soup over glass covering van Gogh’s Sunflowers 1888 and Sunflowers 1889 in the Poets and Lovers exhibition at the National Gallery in London on September 27. 

They were arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage of more than £5,000.

On the same day two other Just Stop Oil activists were given prison sentences for carrying out a similar attack on the paintings.

Simpson and his co-activists Phil Green and Mollie Somerville are to face court in January 2026 and will plead not guilty.

“The damage is alleged to be to the paintings’ frames, because the pictures themselves were wholly protected by glass,” he said.

“We’re waiting for the prosecution’s initial case against us, including evidence of the damage. 

“When we get it, we put forward our defences, and after a bit of to-ing and fro-ing to establish what the points of argument will be, a judge will decide whether our defences are allowed.

“That’s the crunch: several judges have not allowed the defence of necessity, or any defences that allow climate protesters to discuss why they took the action they did.”