S10, Ep6: Joanna Smith on “Conspiring Against the United States Government” with…Fingerpaint

In April 2023, Joanna Oltman Smith walked into the National Gallery in Washington, D.C. with fellow activist Tim Martin, and smeared water-soluble kids' finger paint on the glass display case containing a Degas statue called "Little Dancer, Age Fourteen." Both parents, the two activists read off a statement about the importance of protecting actual, living children as well as we do sculptures of them. Smith and Martin were told they would be charged with misdemeanor vandalism, but each is now facing two felony charges, including one of "conspiring against the United States government." As we covered last month, one thing that makes it easy to criminalize protest is the steady hum of content that paints climate activists as fringe weirdos or out-of-touch elitists. We think it's important to meet these people and bring their stories and voices to you directly.