The famous Roman Trevi Fountain became the next victim of eco-activists: members of the Ultima Generazione group, which translates as “The Last Generation”, mocked the most popular landmark of the “eternal” and most popular tourist city in Europe by climbing into the fountain and pouring black paint into the water.
In total, about 10 activists took part in the action, according to Italian media. The group “traditionally” opposes fossil fuels and tries to “vandalize global warming.” The group, holding placards with the inscription Non pathname il fossile (We don’t pay for fossil fuels), had an action during which black paint was poured into the marble bowl of the fountain. They also shouted that the country was “dying because of the government’s attitude towards ecology”, referring to the recent flooding in the province of Emilia-Romagna.
Tourists, it must be said, did not sympathize: when the police pulled the activists out of the fountain, they were “pelted with insults”, and some, as reported by the Italian media, even “looked for physical contact”, that is, they tried to beat the activists.
The mayor of the city of Rome Roberto. In his speech, Gualtieri said that the fountain is awaiting “expensive and complex restoration”, which “will have a significant impact on the environment”. He also reassured the public that the historical monument did not suffer irreversible damage. “Enough of these absurd attacks on our artistic heritage. I invite the activists to compete in a safe area, without putting the monuments at risk,” added the mayor.
Eco-vandals may partially pay for the restoration. We will remind you that tourists are fined 450 euros just for trying to bathe in the Trevi Fountain. The current act carries the harshest fine “for causing damage to cultural monuments”, which is equal to almost 3 million hryvnias.