Two pro-Palestine activists have been found guilty of criminal damage for an October 9, 2024, protest at London's National Gallery. NHS worker Jai Halai, 25, and politics student Monday-Malachi Rosenfeld, 23, were convicted by a jury at Southwark Crown Court after more than nine hours of deliberation.
The pair plastered a photograph of a Gazan mother and child over the protective glass of Pablo Picasso's 1901 painting 'Motherhood.' Footage shared on social media by the activist group Youth Demand showed security guards attempting to intervene as the activists unveiled the poster.
Following the poster placement, Halai and Rosenfeld poured water-based paint on the wooden flooring before chanting 'Free Palestine' as they were removed from the gallery. During the incident, they were heard shouting slogans including, 'The UK is complicit in genocide' and advocating for an arms embargo on Israel.
Youth Demand, an offshoot of Just Stop Oil, is an activist group advocating for the British government to cease all trade with Israel. The group has previously undertaken other demonstrations, including lining up fake body bags outside the home of former Foreign Secretary David Lammy and causing disruption in London.
During the trial, Michael Willie, head of security and facilities at the National Gallery, testified that costs were incurred due to paint spilled on the floor. He stated that the paint stained marble skirting, stanchions, and rope barriers, and seeped into sockets. While the damage was not immediately considered permanent, cleaning required sanding and refinishing sections of the floor to ensure the gallery's presentation to the public the following morning.
Jurors heard that the total cost billed for the stunt was £8,000, with £271.59 specifically attributed to cleaning. The National Gallery also incurred £250.28 for 'response costs,' representing the time taken to reopen the gallery. Halai and Rosenfeld denied the charges but were convicted of criminal damage.
They were released on bail by Judge David Tomlinson, with sentencing scheduled for a date to be fixed in September.