One of LA’s most familiar art installations was subject to vandalization on Thursday, when activists of abortion rights poured fake blood over Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s ‘Urban Light’ display.
The Urban Light is a multi-beam sculpture which normally serves as a backdrop for photos, but on the day of the aforementioned incident, around 25 protesters from “Vets Rise For Roe” and “Stand Up 4 Abortion Rights” turned it into the backdrop for their demonstration. The latter included blood-like liquid carried in buckets, and chains to attach the protesters to light posts.
“During the protest, two female protesters chained themselves to the light pole of an art exhibit, damaging the exhibit itself,” read an LAPD press release. “One male protester threw an unknown red liquid substance on the art exhibit and surrounding area.”
Several of the protesters laid on the liquid, with other holding up coat hangers and hovering above body bags. All claimed they represented unsafe abortions, as well as women bleeding out from the latter.
“I enlisted to defend freedom not to have mine stolen! Together we can rise up for equality and human rights,” A protester said of the protest. “This is not a protest against LACMA, but a call to the arts community, and to all of society. Silence is compliance. Start taking action and Rise up for abortion rights now.”
LAPD issued dispersal orders and cleared the area around 4:30 in the evening, over four hours following the beginning of the noon protest.
Three people were arrested subsequent to the demonstration, and bail was set at $20,000. A fundraiser was set on GoFundMe to collect bail money.
