The protest action in the center of the capital, three young people arrested
Black liquid with charcoal in the water of the Barcaccia Fountain at the Spanish Steps in Rome. It is the new protest action carried out this morning by Last Generation activists. In front of the astonished looks of the many tourists in the centre, at 11.30 three people poured the liquid into the basins of the fountain. After about twenty minutes, the three activists were taken away by the municipal police.
“The water of the Barcaccia fountain is dyed black – they tweet on their Twitter account -. It is absurd that this gesture should shock you, when we are experiencing a drought emergency that is putting agriculture, energy production in crisis… in short, our very livelihood, and there are those responsible”.
♠️ Rome – The water of the Barcaccia fountain is dyed black
It is absurd that this gesture shocks you, when we are experiencing a drought emergency that is putting agriculture, energy production in crisis… in short, our very livelihood, and there are those responsible. pic.twitter.com/AROZ0oU8CX
— Last Generation (@LastGenerazi1) April 1, 2023
“Those in power are causing far worse devastation before our eyes. How can we accept that we continue to give money to those responsible for pollution and destructive weather?” they add in another tweet.
“They have committed an illegal, harmful and very wrong act, it is right that they respond according to the law. We must be severe” said the mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, who arrived at Barcaccia. “The three perpetrators were stopped immediately, they also entered the fountain. What has been done is stupid and harmful. Now we will see what to do: we are busy remedying this damage and then we will evaluate why these people will have to answer for what they have done , since it is an act against the law. We are available to listen and we are on the front line against climate change: we discuss how to strengthen the commitment, but not like this”. “I heard Minister Sangiuliano who is following the story. We are now assessing the damage and we are working on emptying the fountain to clean it, among other things it was cleaned just yesterday. The riskiest point is the travertine, let’s hope it can be cleaned up. wrong acts, we are a city strongly committed to the environmental aspect, but this is not the right method: it is not by damaging artistic heritage that one helps the environment. Hitting the Barcaccia has nothing to do with defending the environment”. “The restorer Sabina Marchi went to the carabinieri, where the arrested perpetrators are, to examine the substance and understand what is the best intervention to avoid permanent damage to this splendid monument”.
From Rome to Ancona, where this morning at 10.30 ten activists covered the Calamo fountain, also known as the Thirteen Spout fountain, with a cloth. The police arrived at the scene and took the identity of the demonstrators.
THE PROTEST OF THE RESIDENTS OF ROME CENTRE – “The blitz of the so-called environmental activists at the Barcaccia Fountain is striking, one cannot remain indifferent to such actions, the city must be protected from these behaviors. They acted as vandals” Viviana Piccirilli Di Capua, coordinator of the event, told Adnkronos ‘Association of inhabitants of the historic center of Rome. “For Rome we need more security, more vigilance and not being afraid to communicate how to behave in respect of the use of the capital’s heritage which belongs to the world, it should not be caged”.
“It is true about the climate crisis, about environmental problems – he continues – we are late, each of us should do our part, but first of all we need a serious commitment from politics. Young people must be educated: go to schools, universities and talk of these issues”. Against these behaviors, “we need to be determined in educating citizens and we need to be determined in respecting the heritage of the city. Barriers must be put in place. During the Jubilee of 2000, mayor Rutelli had plaques posted, an exhortation to preserve the places in the city Today they are completely ruined and should be recovered: it would be a way to give a signal. Let’s bring them back to life”.
Source-www.adnkronos.com