Two climate activists from the Futuro Vegetal movement threw biodegradable red paint over José Garnelo's 133-year-old painting of Christopher Columbus at Madrid's Naval Museum. The incident occurred on October 12, a national holiday in Spain, and was intended as a protest against colonialism. Museum staff quickly restored the artwork after visitors were asked to leave. The activists were detained by guards and reportedly arrested for crimes against heritage, with Futuro Vegetal later claiming police were not providing vegan food to the detainees.

The same day, another group of activists staged a sit-in at the Reina Sofía Museum in front of Pablo Picasso's Guernica, calling for an end to military action in Gaza and an arms embargo against Israel. Both protests coincided with Spain's national celebrations, which often include parades and street parties but also serve as a platform for demonstrations.