Four activists have been detained following an incident in which they splattered food on the protective case of a highly valuable diamond-studded crown at the Tower of London.

The display housing the Crown Jewels was briefly shut down on Saturday when members of the organization Take Back Power smeared apple crumble and poured yellow custard—both popular British desserts—on the case. This case holds the Imperial State Crown, famously worn by King Charles III during his coronation in 2023 and at his 2024 Parliament opening address.

This magnificent crown, adorned with 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, four rubies, and 269 pearls, was originally crafted for the coronation of King Charles’ grandfather, George VI, in 1937.

This protest is part of an ongoing trend where activists target treasured artifacts and artworks to spotlight political issues.

Last year, environmental activists were jailed for hurling a can of tomato soup at the glass encasing Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” in London’s National Gallery.

In a similar act earlier this week, activists from the same group dumped bags of manure beneath the Christmas tree at the Ritz Hotel in Mayfair.

Video of the act at the Tower of London, once a royal palace also known as the prison where Anne Boleyn, Thomas More and others were executed, showed two protesters attacking the case as other visitors stepped back in shock.

After an employee intervened and radioed for help, the two demonstrators unfurled a sign saying, “Democracy has crumbled. Tax the rich.”

Reported with Associated Press.