Animal rights activists from Animal Rising targeted the first official portrait of Britain’s King Charles since he became monarch, in a protest against farm welfare. On Tuesday, they pasted a large image of the animated character ‘Wallace’ over his face at London’s Philip Mould gallery.
Message against cruelty
The activists also attached a speech bubble to the portrait, reading: “No cheese, Gromit. Look at all this cruelty on RSPCA farms!” The protest aimed to highlight alleged cruelty on farms granted “Assured” status by the RSPCA, of which Charles is the patron.
RSPCA’s response
The RSPCA expressed shock at the vandalism, condemning illegal activities but welcoming scrutiny of its work. The charity emphasized its commitment to investigating any allegations related to its certified farms.
Activist statements
Daniel Juniper, one of the activists, stated that the use of Wallace and Gromit imagery was intended to draw King Charles’ attention to the issue. He urged the king to reconsider his association with the RSPCA’s endorsed farms due to reported suffering.
This incident is part of a series of activist attacks on artwork in Britain. Previous protests include attempts to damage the Magna Carta and throwing soup on Vincent van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” at London’s National Gallery.
Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the incident. Animal Rising assured that their posters would be removable without causing damage to the portrait, which was created by artist Jonathan Yeo and had received mixed reviews for its vibrant red color since its unveiling last month.