No punishment for climate activist who glued himself to a Jan Van Eyck at Bruges’s Groeninge Museum (VIDEO)

Last summer, at the Groeninge Museum in Bruges, climate activist Wouter Mouton glued himself to Jan Van Eyck's work "Madonna with Canon Joris van der Paele".  After half an hour, the climate activist was separated from the painting. The work is surrounded by a glass wall, so the artwork was not damaged.

The climate activist made world headlines a few months later due to a similar protest. At the Mauritshuis in the Hague (Netherlands), he glued himself to Johannes Vermeer's 'Girl with a Pearl Earring'. Following this protest, Mouton was even imprisoned for a while. The Dutch court eventually sentenced him to two months' imprisonment, half of which was suspended. The defendant, meanwhile, appealed that conviction.

During the present trial, the prosecution showed some understanding for the defendant's struggle. "The climate is indeed an important and topical issue, but this is not the right way to take action," said the prosecutor, who did not seek any actual punishment, solely a conviction.

The defence unsuccessfully argued that the criminal charges were inadmissible. His lawyers argued the climate activist's freedom of expression should not be restricted. It was also noted that there was no question of any damage.

The judge ruled that Mouton is guilty, but he will not receive any punishment.

Mouton himself is disappointed by the ruling. "I did not expect such a short-sighted ruling. The protest was well prepared using washable glue. I cooperated well."

Mouton is also not allowed to commit new similar acts. Will he comply? "Every month the climate crisis is getting worse. My lawyer advises me against making precise statements about upcoming actions, but politics won't change anything by itself, so that's an incentive to continue."