“Declare Emergency” Activists Deface Degas’ Sculpture at Washington D.C.’s National Gallery of Art, Causing $4,000 in Damage

The environmental activist group “Declare Emergency” was responsible for defacing Edgar Degas’ sculpture titled “Little Dancer Aged Fourteen,” which is housed inside the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., according to authorities. Joanna Smith, a 54-year-old climate activist from Brooklyn, New York, has been charged with defacing historic artwork after she and another conspirator allegedly smuggled paint into the museum on April 27 this year before daubing it over both the base and clear case containing Degas’ work. The pair filmed themselves carrying out their actions using smartphones while also hitting the priceless, roughly 143-year-old artwork with force at times. Smith has been sentenced to two months in prison as part of a plea deal that could have seen her face up to five years behind bars for causing $4,000 worth of damage and forcing staff to remove the sculpture from display for 10 days while repairs were carried out. The case was investigated by authorities including FBI’s Art Crime Team alongside officials from National Gallery of Art Police as well as U.S Park Police. Smith is a native of Massachusetts who currently resides in Orlando, Florida.