Italy and art are synonymous, and perhaps for that reason eco-vandalists who are looking to grab attention to promote their causes have attacked and damaged famous works of art or iconic locations.
The Fountain of Trevi in Roma, the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, the La Scala theater in Milan are recent examples.
Ultima Generazione (UG) has staged a series of controversial headline-grabbing protests in the last two years, including pouring red liquid over themselves outside the Florence cathedral and gluing themselves to the iconic Laocoon statuary group in the Vatican Museums.
This kind of irresponsible protest—though for good causes—has cost the Italian government huge sums for restoration. Now legal measures are being taken against the eco-vandalists.
According to Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano, with the passage of a recent law anyone who defaces any product or site of cultural heritage will be subject to fines of up to 60,000 euros.
“A principle of respect for national culture has been enacted: whoever defaces, damages or otherwise spoils a monument must compensate the state for the expenses incurred to restore the original state of the monument,” said the minister.
“Given that, as a large number of cases show, large sums have to be spent for restoration, it is good that it is no longer the Italians who pay but those who are responsible for the acts of damage”.
In addition to attacks against works of art, the UG group in particular stages acts of civil disobedience in order to cause disruptions that highlight their protest. In May of last year a protest at the Giro d’Italia by three UG members was foiled as the trio was dragged away from the road at Meolo near Venice before they could stop a breakaway group of four riders from racing past.
Earlier that month UG staged another act of civil disobedience when they covered themselves in mud outside the Senate in Rome.
Three UG members are currently on trial in Rome for spraying easy-to-wash-off paint over the facade of the Senate last January.
Last October several UG activists were fined 3,300 euros each for public indecency after stripping naked and blocking traffic in a flash mob on a central Turin bridge.
Other UG members were indicted Wednesday for spraying wash-offable paint over Maurizio Cattelan’s L.O.V.E. statue in Milan.
While no permanent damage has been done to major works of art, the cleaning and restoration has been a drain on the Italian economy. Sangiuliano is hoping that the new law will put an end to the expense and act as a deterrent to further acts of vandalism.
