“Prison time”: Rome’s Trevi Fountain turns black during climate protest, leaving netizens shocked

On Sunday, May 21, 2023, the water inside the Trevi Fountain in Rome was blackened with charcoal by some climate activists. Nine activists climbed into the fountain to protest against the recent floods in Italy. They held banners reading:

"We won't pay for fossil (fuels)"

They poured several bags of diluted charcoal into the water. The activists were from a group called "Ultima Generazione" or "Last Generation."

The group later stated on Twitter that one out of four houses in Italy is defenseless against floods. They demanded to know how long they have to wait before their government takes concrete action.

The protesters continued to stage their demonstration for about fifteen minutes before the police intervened and waded into the water to escort the activists out of that place. Bystanders, including tourists and some locals, filmed the demonstration. Some onlookers were seen insulting the activists and condemning their stunt in a video. One Twitter user, @PierreHnoud, implied that the activists should be put in prison.

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Netizens have been condemning the climate activists for the Trevi Fountain incident

In recent times, climate activists have targeted several works of art as well as historical monuments to demonstrate their protest against their governments. However, most people found their need to vandalize artworks to make themselves and their demands heard to be unreasonable and absurd.

Many have condemned these acts, especially people who deeply connect with art and heritage. Footage of the vandalism was shared by many on Twitter. Controversial British internet personality Oli London also shared the video.

Netizens were furious at the climate protestors for damaging and destroying others' properties to make a point. Some people also asked why the bystanders did not tackle the activists or try to stop them from polluting the water.

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Rome's mayor responds to the Trevi Fountain vandalism

The Italian authorities responded to this vandalism. Rome's mayor Roberto Gualtieri decried these protests by climate activists and their "absurd attacks" on artworks in Italy. Roberto wrote on Twitter:

"Enough of these absurd attacks on our artistic heritage. Today, they smeared the Trevi Fountain. It is expensive and complex to restore, hoping that there is no permanent damage. I invite activists to compete on confrontational terrain without putting monuments at risk."

Roberto further wrote in another tweet that 300,000 liters of water were wasted due to the vandalism and needed to be replaced to restore the historical monument.

The group, Ultima Generazione, demonstrated a week-long intense flood that affected Northern Italy, killing at least 13 people and displacing thousands. As a result of a spate of extreme rainfall, more than twenty rivers welled over, and the region fell apart.

Their Sunday protest at the Trevi Fountain voiced a call to the government asking it to stop providing financial aid to fossil fuel organizations. One of their large orange banners read:

"Let's not pay for fossil."

They also yelled the slogan:

"Our country is dying."

The Trevi Fountain is one of the iconic tourist attractions in Rome, where hundreds of thousands of dollars in coins are tossed by visitors. In the past two weeks, members of the group have held similar demonstrations in the city. Previously on May 6, 2023, they poured charcoal into the Piazza Navona's Fiumi Fountain as well.