Climate Protestors Acquitted Over Trevi Fountain Stunt

Rome: A Rome judge on Thursday acquitted nine members of the Ultima Generazione (Last Generation, UG) group of criminal charges related to a stunt they did at the Trevi Fountain in Rome in May 2023 in order to draw attention to the need to address the climate crisis.

According to Ansa News Agency, the protesters entered the fountain and poured organic liquid into the water to turn it black, holding a banner saying ‘We Won’t Pay for Fossils’ – a swipe at public subsidies of fossil fuel sources of energy such as oil, coal, and gas that are the driving forces of the climate crisis.

The stunt was part of a long series of controversial acts of civil disobedience UG has staged to draw attention to the climate emergency, including halting traffic on busy roads and pouring easy-to-wash-off paint over the protective shields of artworks and famous monuments.