Italy’s climate stickers should be severely punished for their actions

After graffiti and artwork on monuments were destroyed by climate activists, the Italian government wants to Vandalism Cultural objects should be punished more severely. Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangliano announced on Tuesday that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s cabinet had agreed to a decree granting “criminal sanctions” of between 10,000 and 60,000 euros and “criminal sanctions” to those who “destroy, soil or deface” cultural property. . Parliament is now two months away Turn decree into law.

“Attacks on monuments and art sites cause economic damage to society,” Sangiuliano said after a cabinet meeting in Rome. Dirty cultural property must be cleaned by “highly specialized personnel” and “expensive machinery”. Anyone who does this must also “take financial responsibility”. In his statement, the minister described the activists as “environmental vandals”.

“It’s Time to Say Enough is Enough”

As in Germany, climate activists do the same in Italy with unusual actions He who knows himself. More recently, members of the Ultima Generazione (Last Generation) group poured black liquid over the Fontana della Barcaccia on the famous Spanish Steps in Rome to color the fountain’s water. At the end of March, activists painted orange on the facade of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. Works of art such as a Van Gogh painting in Rome or an Andy Warhol car in Milan were also targets.

Sangiuliano strongly criticized the move on the Spanish Steps: “It’s time to say enough is enough: we face the systematic destruction of our artistic and cultural heritage that has nothing to do with environmental protection.” However, for activists, the government’s current efforts to combat climate change are insufficient – ​​they see their actions as legitimate forms of protest.

(dpa/jar)See comments