Jonathan Yao’s controversial portrait of King Charles III was vandalised by two animal rights activists at the Philip Mould Gallery in London. The protest, organised by the group Animal Rights, involved the activists using rollers to plaster a picture of Wallace, from the animated series Wallace and Gromit, over the monarch’s face. The incident was captured on video and shared on X, formerly known as Twitter. The portrait is on display until June 21.
“No Cheese, Gromit” Message and Call to Action
In addition to the image of Wallace, the activists stuck a speech bubble to Yao’s painting that read, “No cheese, Gromit. Look at all this cruelty on RSPCA farms!” Animal Rising, a branch of the protest group, shared the video on social media, urging the public to investigate the RSPCA Assured Scheme. Their post called for King Charles, the patron of the RSPCA, to pressure the organization to abandon the scheme, directing viewers to a link on their website for more information.
RSPCA Assured Scheme Under Scrutiny
The RSPCA Assured Scheme is designed to improve welfare standards for farm animals across the United Kingdom. Participating farms, abattoirs, hatcheries, and haulers are required to meet specific standards to maintain their certification. Products from these farms bear an RSPCA Assured sticker, indicating their adherence to these standards. However, the scheme has faced criticism from animal rights activists who question the criteria used for farm inspections.
Investigation into RSPCA Assured Farms
Animal Rising recently published an investigation into 45 RSPCA Assured farms, describing their operations as “indefensible.” The group’s findings have intensified scrutiny and raised questions about the effectiveness of the RSPCA’s certification process.
RSPCA Responds to Vandalism and Allegations
In response to the vandalism, the RSPCA issued a statement condemning illegal activities and emphasizing the hard work of their staff and volunteers in rescuing, caring for, and advocating for animals. They expressed concern that Animal Rising’s actions were diverting attention from their critical work. The RSPCA reiterated that their Assured Scheme is currently the best way to help farmed animals and mentioned that concerns about welfare on certified farms are taken very seriously. Following the release of the footage, RSPCA Assured has launched an immediate and urgent investigation into the allegations.
No Damage to Yao’s Portrait
Philip Mould, the gallery owner, assured The Telegraph that there was no damage to the portrait after the stickers were carefully removed. The painting, which is the first official portrait of King Charles III since his coronation last year, was unveiled at Buckingham Palace last month.
Feature Image: Animal rights activists pasted over a portrait of King Charles. ()
