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Climate activist who defaced sculpture at National Gallery of Art charged

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Climate activist who defaced sculpture at National Gallery of Art charged

A climate activist who smeared paint on a case surrounding 19th century French artist Edgar Degas’ “Little Dancer Aged Fourteen” sculpture at Washington, D.C.’s National Gallery of Art was charged.

Joanna Smith, 54, of Brooklyn, N.Y., got 60 days of prison time out of a possible maximum sentence of five years for defacing the historic statue, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C., said in a release. 

Judge Amy Berman Jackson also ordered Smith to serve 24 months of supervised release and 150 hours of community service, with 10 hours that must involve cleaning graffiti.

Smith also paid restitution for the damage to the Degas sculpture and was barred from entering the nation’s capitol and all museums and monuments for two years.

CLIMATE ACTIVISTS INDICTED FOR SMEARING PAINT ON DEGAS SCULPTURE CASE AT NATIONAL GALLERY

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Joanna Smith and her co-conspirator sit after smearing paint on the case that houses Edgar Degas’ Little Dancer Aged Fourteen at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. (Ellie Silverman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Smith, along with other co-conspirators, traveled to Washington D.C. on April 27, 2023, and allegedly targeted the sculpture, the attorney’s office said.

The two allegedly smuggled the paint in plastic water bottles and had other conspirators film them smearing the paint of the base and the see-through case, while sometimes hitting the roughly 143-year-old priceless artwork with force, on their phones, according to the release. 

Joanna Smith and her co-conspirator smear paint on the case that houses Edgar Degas’s Little Dancer Aged Fourteen at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, April 27, 2023.  ( Ellie Silverman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

According to the government’s evidence, Smith, along with other co-conspirators, created video statements explaining their intent.

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ACTIVISTS VANDALIZE SCOTLAND’S ‘BRAVEHEART’ MONUMENT IN CLIMATE PROTEST

They also alerted two reporters from the Washington Post who arrived and took photos of the vandalism. 

Joanna Smith and her co-conspirator sit in front of Edgar Degas’s Little Dancer Aged Fourteen at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, April 27, 2023. (Ellie Silverman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The April 27 incident caused $4,000 in damage and forced staff to remove “Little Dancer” from the galleries for 10 days for repairs, the release said. 

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The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, specifically the FBI’s Art Crime Team, with assistance from the National Gallery of Art Police, and U.S. Park Police.

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‘X-Men’ Star Famke Janssen Says Marvel ‘Made a Mistake’ By Not Asking Her to Return as Jean Grey in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

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‘X-Men’ Star Famke Janssen Says Marvel ‘Made a Mistake’ By Not Asking Her to Return as Jean Grey in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

Famke Janssen said during a recent conversation with Nerdtropolis at Spacecon 2026 that Marvel “made a mistake” by not bringing her back as Jean Grey for December’s “Avengers: Doomsday.”

“I am so bad at keeping secrets that I always say to everyone I’m the worst actor in the world. It’s all on my face. You right away will read it,” Janssen said. “I think they made a mistake, but hey, who am I? I’m just a little me who thinks that.”

Janssen first appeared as the telepath Jean Grey, aka Phoenix, in 2000’s “X-Men,” and then reprised the role for 2003’s “X2: X-Men United” and 2006’s “X-Men: The Last Stand.” She also briefly appeared as Grey in 2013’s “The Wolverine” and 2014’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past.”

Janssen’s absence from “Doomsday” is notable, considering Marvel is bringing back many of her “X-Men” co-stars for the film. Patrick Stewart (Charles Xavier), Ian McKellen (Magneto), James Marsden (Cyclops), Kelsey Grammer (Beast), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler) and Rebecca Romijn (Mystique) are all set to return.

In an October 2025 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Janssen said in every interview she does, she’s asked about the future of Jean Grey in the MCU.

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“It’s interesting,” Janssen said. “I didn’t realize that was such a big part. Every interview I do, that will come up, and of everything I say, that is going to be the only thing that’s gonna be printed.”

“I should be flattered, I suppose, that this character has resonated with people,” she added. “It’s been so long, but it’s nice that people are still talking about her. I’m sure every single time there’s a new movie that they’re doing, like [is it] ‘Doomsday?’ … it’ll come up again.”

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Two-train crash leaves at least 1 dead, 89 injured as emergency crews rush to chaotic scene

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Two-train crash leaves at least 1 dead, 89 injured as emergency crews rush to chaotic scene

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Authorities are responding after two passenger trains crashed into each other Friday near Bedford, England, killing at least one person and injuring nearly 90 others.

The East of England Ambulance Service said it was called to a collision involving two trains at Elstow, near Bedford, at about 5:15 p.m. local time and quickly declared a “major incident.”

One person died at the scene, 11 people suffered very serious injuries, 22 were seriously injured and 56 people had minor injuries, officials said.

Bedford is roughly 60 miles north of London.

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2 TRAINS COLLIDE IN DENMARK, LEAVING 5 PEOPLE CRITICALLY INJURED

Two passenger trains collided Friday in the United Kingdom. (Fox News)

All the patients with the most serious injuries have been taken from the scene to hospital.

The ambulance service said it sent numerous resources to the scene, including more than 20 ambulances, specialist hazardous area response teams and six air ambulances.

MULTIPLE STABBED IN UK TRAIN ATTACK NEAR CAMBRIDGE AS POLICE ARREST 2 SUSPECTS

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Emergency crews were pictured working near the scene. (Fox News)

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected, and we thank all emergency service colleagues for their swift response,” the ambulance service wrote in a statement.

The Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed its crews were also responding.

“Please avoid the area,” fire officials wrote in a statement on X.

Sources told The Telegraph the train driver was on the phone with maintenance staff discussing a safety issue at the time of the crash.

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This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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Lebanese influencer organises World Cup event amid Israel’s attack on Leban

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Lebanese influencer organises World Cup event amid Israel’s attack on Leban
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As Israel’s war on Lebanon rages, hundreds gather in Rmeileh by Sidon Gate to watch the 2026 World Cup. Organised by influencer Bilal Haddad, the fan zone offers food trucks, shisha and family activities, giving people a rare chance to relax. Al Jazeera’s Justin Salhani went to check it out.

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