In Rome, climate activists have dyed the water of a famous baroque fountain at the foot of the Spanish Steps black. Three Ultima Generazione (Last Generation) activists dumped a herbal liquid into the 17th-century barge well in the Italian capital on Saturday. They were then taken away by the police.
According to the activists, the protest action was intended to remind people of the “doomsday scenario”. Mankind is heading towards this, “while we all keep pushing the gas pedal: droughts alternate with devastating floods that put an end to life on earth, plus heat waves”.
The inhabitants of Rome know the boat-shaped fountain by 17th-century sculptor Pietro Bernini as “Barcaccia”. According to the activists, its construction was inspired by a folk legend. According to this, in 1598 the Tiber was said to have been so flooded that it washed up a boat on the square.
The blackened fountain in Italy is part of a series of high-profile protests across Europe by the “last generation” to draw attention to the climate emergency and urge politicians to act faster. The activists had previously attacked numerous other works of art and cultural sites with paint, mashed potatoes or soup. In addition, members of the group keep getting stuck on the streets, causing massive traffic disruptions.
