From blue to black... Environmental activists colored the basin of Rome's famous Trevi Fountain black on Sunday, saying the deaths of fourteen people in floods that devastated northeastern Italy was a "warning" about climate change.
Activists from the organization Last Generation, which is multiplying actions to denounce the inaction of governments in the face of climate change, climbed into the fountain and spread a black plant-based liquid in the water before leaving, escorted by the police.
Blitz di Ultima Generazione a #Roma: gettato un liquido nero, carbone vegetale, nella Fontana di #Trevi.
Segui il nostro canale Telegram dedicato all'ambiente e al cambiamento climatico 👉 https://t.co/eZDM15Uy6m pic.twitter.com/npVkVspPee
— Ultimora.net - BREAKING NEWS (@ultimoranet) May 21, 2023
Mattia, 19, who did not wish to give her last name, participated in this action "because the terrible tragedy that has occurred in recent days in Emilia-Romagna is a warning foreshadowing the black future that awaits humanity".
Actions that have multiplied
More than 36,000 people have been displaced as a result of the floods affecting the Emilia-Romagna region. The equivalent of six months of rainfall fell in 36 hours this week in Emilia-Romagna, causing the "floods of the century" in this rich agricultural and tourist region. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived there on Sunday to visit the ravaged sites.
Last Generation began taking action in Italy in 2022 ahead of the general election to call on leaders of all political parties to make the climate emergency their priority.
Last Generation activists have multiplied actions across Europe, throwing soup, mashed potatoes or washable paint on the windows protecting famous paintings displayed in major museums or cultural heritage sites.