Moment eco-vandals spray paint on a portrait of King Charles with the words ‘The people are mightier than the Lord’

•  Footage shows one holding a stencil while the other sprays it with pink paint

Climate activists have destroyed a portrait of King Charles by writing ‘The people are mightier than the Lord’ on it in spray-paint.   

Two people from This Is Rigged vandalised the painting in Edinburgh’s National Portrait Gallery at around 3pm on Wednesday. 

Footage shows one holding a stencil on the glass covering the painting, while the other sprays it with pink paint.

This is Rigged member Ben Taylor, 28, said: ‘Why does the Scottish government think it’s acceptable to keep allowing new oil and gas projects to go ahead, without even opposing them?

‘If we want a future for our young people, they need to oppose all new oil and gas licences. 

Climate activist spray-painted the words ‘The people are mightier than the Lord’ onto a portrait of King Charles 

This is Rigged have taken responsibility for the vandalism, the group have been participating in a sustained series of actions designed to target key fuel suppliers in Scotland

The gardener from Ayrshire added: ‘This is the most basic step they can take to secure a chance at a liveable future. 

‘Until this happens, we will continue to target the Scottish government, forcing them to use the powers they do have to stand up for the people.’ 

The second vandal, Ideal, from Lisbon, said: ‘In Portugal, it’s 40C in the shade, right now. We’re going through unbearable heat, and it’s only going to get worse.

‘Scotland is the biggest oil producer in Europe (and second-biggest gas producer), and these emissions affect everyone. We all have a responsibility to stop them, and ensure a fair transition for oil and gas workers.’

This is Rigged have been participating in a sustained series of actions designed to target key fuel suppliers in Scotland with blockades. 

Four occupations took place at Grangemouth and at the NuStar Terminal in Clydebank, with fuel prevented from leaving both terminals, cutting off the majority of Scotland’s petroleum supplies. 

Ideal (left) and Ben Taylor (right) were both seen vandalising a portrait of King Charles in Edinburgh’s National Portrait Gallery earlier today

On Sunday, two This is Rigged activists scaled The Kelpies, stating that they would not be ‘lured underwater’ by the fossil fuel industry.

A spokesperson for the National Galleries of Scotland said: ‘This afternoon there was a protest at National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait. 

‘We have closed the Modern Portrait room. 

‘The rest of the gallery is open as normal for visitors. At the moment we are assessing the impact but there appears to be no sign of damage to any actual artwork.’

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