Italy: environmental activists are turning the water of the Trevi Fountain in Rome black

Environmental activists painted the basin of Rome’s famous Trevi Fountain black on Sunday and said floods that killed 14 people in northeastern Italy were a “warning” of climate change.

Activists of the organization Last Generation (The Last Generation), which is multiplying actions to condemn the inaction of governments in the face of climate turmoil, climbed into the fountain and poured a black vegetable-based liquid into the water, forcing the exit Before, escorted by the police.

More than 36,000 people have been displaced by floods in the Emilia-Romagna region. Emilia-Romagna received the equivalent of six months of rain in 36 hours this week, causing the “flood of the century” in this rich agricultural and tourism region.

19-year-old Mattia, who did not want to give her last name, took part in the action “because the terrible tragedy in Emilia-Romagna in recent days is a foreboding warning of the dark future awaiting humanity”.

The last generation calls on leaders of all political parties in Italy to make the climate emergency their priority ahead of the general elections in 2022.

The previous generation of activists has multiplied actions across Europe, including throwing soup, mashed potatoes or washable paint at windows guarding famous paintings displayed at major museums or cultural heritage sites.

The Trevi Fountain is especially famous for an anthology scene from Federico Fellini’s film “La Dolce Vita”, which depicts Swedish actress Anita Ekberg bathing in an evening dress.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in Emilia-Romagna on Sunday to visit areas affected by the bad weather.