Protesters who smeared Kelvingrove artwork in jam and forced Glasgow museum to close appear in court

Two protesters who smeared a bust of Queen Victoria in jam and porridge and forced Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum to close were convicted today.

Food poverty campaigners Sarah Martin, 30, and Hannah Taylor, 24, carried out the action at the west end museum on March 3, 2024. The pair - from 'This is Rigged ' - also spray-painted the word 'c***' onto the plinth of the statue.

As a result, an area of the museum was shut to the public for several hours and charity Glasgow Life who own the museum had to foot the repair bill to the statue and its plinth.

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Martin and Taylor were found guilty to a charge of malicious mischief following a trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court. Sheriff Simone Sweeney stated that the pair - of the city's Shawlands and Drygate - were "intellectual and articulate".

However, the sheriff added: "I saw CCTV footage and heard evidence from museum staff. I heard that the statue belongs to the people of Glasgow and that you attended together to pour jam and porridge over the bust.

"I find you guilty but under the deletion of attempting to glue yourselves to it."

Martin and Taylor, who represented themselves, were found not guilty to a separate charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.

The court heard from museum gallery assistant Michael Barr who said that the bust has been a permanent fixture for at least the 34 years he has worked there. Mr Barr stated that he became aware of the protest at around 11.45am.

Prosecutor Jennifer Sillars asked the witness what he saw on the statue and he replied: "It was red in colour - porridge and jam."

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The fiscal depute asked how Mr Barr felt about what had happened to the statue and he said: "They shouldn't be doing it, this belongs to the city and the could have damaged it."

Mr Barr later stated that he saw one of the woman attempted to put glue on their hand. The witness added: "There was a four letter word on it [the plinth] which was 'c***'."

Mr Barr told the court that the area of the museum which housed the statue was closed to the public for a "couple of hours."

A video of the protest - shot by This is Rigged for social media - was played to the trial. Martin is heard to say: "We refuse to be dragged back to the Victorian era."

Museum manager Philippa Macinness stated the cost to conserve the statue and its plinth was £579. She stated: "This is a five-star visitor attraction and we make sure this happens. It was stressful for our gallery assistants."

Martin told the court in her closing submission: "Mr Barr states that the bust belongs to Glasgow, I am a citizen of Glasgow and I am interacting with it as necessary. I was forced into taking action and I took no reckless or thoughtless action - I sought to express my rights to protest."

Sentence was deferred pending background reports until next month and both women had their bail continued meantime.

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