Two people allegedly tried to glue themselves to the 1893 painting while a third person was seen filming, according to Norway's NTB news agency.

Footage showed museum guards holding two protesters as one shouted "I scream for people dying" and the second called out "I scream when lawmakers ignore science".

Another person was seen trying to shield the painting while the incident unfolded at the National Museum of Norway.

There was glue residue left on the glass mount but no damage was reported to the painting.

Police in Oslo tweeted on Friday: "We are at the National Museum following a message from the guards there.

"They had taken control of three people, two of whom had tried to glue themselves to a painting.

"They did not succeed in this, but there is glue residue on the glass mount. No report of damage to the painting."

The force later tweeted that three women, who are citizens of Finland, Denmark and Germany, had been arrested, adding: "We are working to clarify their connection to Norway."

Police also said they were in contact with a woman who witnessed the incident.

The room where the painting was on show was "emptied of the public and closed", the museum said, adding it will reopen as soon as possible.

The rest of the venue remained open.

The activists are said to be from Norwegian organisation Stopp Oljeletinga - which translates as Stop Oil Exploration.

They want to pressure politicians in Norway - a major producer of offshore oil and gas - to halt oil exploration.

Astrid Rem, a spokesperson from the group, said: "We are campaigning against Scream because it is perhaps Norway's most famous painting.

"There have been lots of similar actions around Europe.

"They have managed to something that no other action has managed: achieve an extremely large amount of coverage and press."

It is the latest incident when some of the world's best-known artworks have been attacked in demonstrations against climate change.

In London, Just Stop Oil protesters threw tomato soup over Van Gogh's Sunflowers at the National Gallery last month.

Meanwhile Extinction Rebellion activists glued themselves to a Picasso painting at an art gallery in Melbourne, Australia.

And Monet's Les Meules painting was pelted with mashed potatoes while on show in Germany.

Two Belgian activists who attacked Johannes Vermeer's Girl With A Pearl Earring in Holland were jailed for two months.