Climate activists ‘attacked Velázquez masterpiece’

Two climate activists damaged the varnish on Diego Velázquez’s Rokeby Venus in the National Gallery after smashing the glass protecting the £100m masterpiece with a hammer, a court heard. Harrison Donnelly, 23, and Hanan Ameur, 25, attacked the 17th century painting of a nude goddess Venus gazing into a mirror held by Cupid while wearing Just Stop Oil t-shirts on 6 November 2023, it was said. The protest group uploaded video of the incident on social media after causing damage…