By Kaden Scharnow
The Trevi fountain in Rome is left damaged after climate activists poured charcoal in. The activists were protesting the use of fossil fuels, and referring to a series of floods in Northern Italy, which could be explained by Climate Change. The group, known as Ultima Genirazione, stepped into the fountain holding a banner saying “Lets not pay for fossil campaigns considering what’s happening in Emilia Romagna”, before dumping distilled charcoal into the 18th century fountain’s waters.
The group had been responsible for a number for fountain vandalizing, like the Fountain of Four Rivers in Piazza Navona in May, and the Barcaccia Fountain at the base of the Spanish Steps in April.”Charcoal in the Trevi fountain” the group tweeted on Sunday. “1 out of 4 houses in Italy is vulnerable to floods. How much longer do we have to wait for those in government to take concrete action?” Ultima Genirazione, along with many other climate groups, has been criticizing the Italian government for not being better prepared for the deadly floods, which have taken 14 lives and displaced more than 36,000.
The 300,000 liter fountain would have to be fully drained, with hopes of no permanent damage of staining. “This will involve significant intervention. It will cost time, effort, and water.” Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri tweeted. “Enough of these absurd attacks on our artistic heritage. Today the #FontanadiTrevi was smeared. Expensive and complex to restore, hoping there is no permanent damage. I invite activists to compete on a confrontational terrain without putting the monuments at risk.” the mayor continued.
It seems the activist groups won’t let up until the Italian government better prepares for the dangers that come with climate change. The deadly floods in Northern Italy is just one of the many natural disasters around the world due to climate change. Many expect the Ultima Genirazione group to attack and vandalize many more historical landmarks before change is made.
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