Four activists on Valentine’s Day staged a high‑visibility protest under the banner “Herbal Future,” a civil disobedience collective that advocates a plant‑based agri‑food system as a direct action against the climate crisis. The incident unfolded inside the MasterChef venue in Madrid, where red and black paint was splashed across the room.
Four activists were detained by national police, and the case is under review in Madrid’s court number 31. Initial estimates put the damage from what authorities describe as a nonviolent action at 85,000 euros, according to CASO ABIERTO, the investigative arm of Prensa Ibérica’s journalistic channel.
Do they have vegan food?
The event occurred around 13:30 on February 14. Two of the four Futuro Vegetal activists had booked a table in the restaurant under the name Victor and planned to dine at the upscale venue on Velázquez Street in Madrid. According to the restaurant’s manager, upon arrival one of the activists started photographing the menu and inquired whether vegan options were available.
When the employee declined and other diners reacted with surprise, two of the younger protesters—a blonde woman and a dark‑skinned man—began throwing red and black paint. They were found to be carrying two water bottles. At the same moment, another activist recorded the scene on video.
Restaurant staff struggled to restrain them, and a waiter went outside to request assistance from nearby police. Police officers from the area arrived, and four activists were arrested. One individual is Swedish, another Ecuadorian, a third Madrid‑based, and the fourth was undocumented. Two of the group live in Lleida, one in Granada, and the last in Las Rozas, on the outskirts of Madrid.
Two of the men had previously been arrested for other protest actions in June and December 2022. None wished to testify to the police, and all faced charges of criminal damage before being released pending further proceedings.
Renovated facilities
The 31st Court of Madrid is examining the incident to determine the extent of the damage. According to those responsible for the venue, the restaurant had just completed an extensive renovation a month earlier. A preliminary assessment, prepared by the organization’s own Director of Operations, suggested the building needed to be closed about 45 minutes. He provided a detailed provisional damage estimate and handed it to the police.
The document itemizes damage from the paint on the MasterChef logo at 25,000 euros, plus 15,000 euros for other affected components. It also lists various costs for damaged carpentry tools, sofas (6,000 euros), walls (3,000 euros), floors (3,000 euros), entrance landscaping (6,000 euros), carpets (2,000 euros), tablecloths (1,500 euros), and employee uniforms (an additional 4,000 euros).
The company valued the painting damage to the original MasterChef logo at 25,000 euros, a figure that encompassed harms to tablecloths, walls, floors, and even invitations extended to customers who witnessed the incident.
Additionally, losses in reservations for that day were tallied at up to 85,000 euros, while compensation for upset patrons’ beverages was listed at 5,000 euros. A court‑appointed expert will verify or adjust these figures, and final figures will be informed by the restaurant’s insurer.
Futuro Vegetal claimed responsibility for the attack on the day itself, posting statements on Twitter and Telegram that read: “We acted. We filled the main dining room of the famous MasterChef with paint. We say no to subsidies to the meat industry on Valentines Day.” They also noted that menus prepared by the group were used, showing a plant‑based option alongside a heart motif.
Beyond this incident, Futuro Vegetal members have engaged in a range of nonviolent actions and acts of protest in recent months. These have included an attempted runway disruption at Barajas airport, blocking traffic on Madrid’s M-30, and paint attacks on the headquarters of a hamburger chain. Perhaps most notable is the group’s past demonstrations where activists glued themselves to building frames. There are also concerns about potential damage to cultural heritage from attacks on Goya’s majas in the Prado Museum, though the full extent of that harm has not yet been determined.