Mona Lisa: Protesters throw soup at da Vinci painting

Protesters have thrown soup at the glass-protected Mona Lisa painting in France, calling for the right to "healthy and sustainable food," Report informs referring to BBC News.

The 16th Century painting by Leonardo da Vinci is one of the world's most famous artworks, and is held at the Louvre in central Paris.

It sits behind bulletproof glass so is unlikely to have been damaged.

Video shows two female protesters wearing T-shirts that read "food counterattack" throwing the liquid.

They then stand in front of the painting, saying: "What is more important? Art or the right to healthy and sustainable food?

"Your agricultural system is sick. Our farmers are dying at work," they add.

Museum security are then seen putting black screens in front of them before the room is evacuated.

A group called Riposte Alimentaire ("Food counterattack") claimed responsibility for the stunt.

In a statement sent to AFP news agency, they said the soup throwing marked the "start of a campaign of civil resistance with the clear demand... of the social security of sustainable food".

Rachida Dati, France's Minister for Culture, said "no cause" can justify the Mona Lisa being targeted.

"Like our heritage [the painting] belongs to future generations," she said on X, formerly Twitter.