Two charged after porridge and jam protest

Two members of a campaign group have been charged after they poured porridge and jam on a bust of Queen Victoria and sprayed painted a rude word on the plinth at Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

Sorcha Ni Mhairtin, 30, and Hannah Taylor, 23 from This Is Rigged carried out the actions around midday, before reportedly gluing themselves to the plinth.

The group said it carried out the act to protest against increasing food insecurity.

Ms Ni Mhairtin, an Irish activist and community food worker in Glasgow, said: “We refuse to be dragged back to the Victorian era.

“Diseases of starvation including scurvy and rickets are on the rise.

“Freedom begins with breakfast and if you can’t understand that, we’ll shove it in your face.

“Food is a human right, and we call out the rotten systems under which we are suffering.”

Other stunts carried out by the group this year include occupying the royal dining room at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

This is Rigged has said it will continue to carry out similar actions until its demands are met, which include supermarkets reducing the price of baby formula to March 2021 prices and the Scottish Government funding and implementing a community food hub in every 500 households in Scotland.

PA reached out to the museum, who declined to comment.

A spokesperson from Police Scotland told PA: “Around 11.55am on Sunday March 3 2024, police were called to a report of a protest and alleged vandalism within Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow.

“Two women, aged 23 and 30 years, have been arrested and charged following the incident.

“They have been released on an undertaking to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court at a later date.

“A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”

Published: 03/03/2024 by Radio NewsHub