Gallery soup protester is cleaned out

Court told climate activist will pay €450

- OLIVIA KELLEHER

A CLIMATE change protester who threw soup at a gallery artwork last year is set to pay for the clean-up costs associated with his actions.

Earlier this week Thomas Shinnick, 27, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to a painting, George Atkinson's Anatomical Study, on November 10 last year.

The painting in the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork was not damaged in the incident.

Shinnick told Cork District Court that his actions at the gallery were a "disruptive non-violent direct action".

He told the court: "I did no damage to the painting which was behind glass. I did not kill anyone but climate change will.

"I recognise that it is a ridiculous action and I am not saying everyone should be throwing soup at paintings.