The National Gallery has become the first British cultural institution to ban visitors from bringing in any liquids after a spate of attacks on its priceless artworks by environmental campaigners.
The gallery, which houses many of the western world’s greatest artworks, said that from Friday no liquids could be brought in by visitors apart from baby formula, expressed milk and prescription medicines.
It said that it had “unfortunately… reached a point where we have been forced to act to protect our visitors, staff and collection”.
Since July 2022 the gallery has been subjected to five attacks on its artworks, including two in the past fortnight.
Two Just Stop Oil activists, Phoebe Plummer and Anna Holland, were jailed last month after being convicted of