Climate activists in Italy turned a Baroque-style fountain on the foot of Rome‘s Spanish Steps black on Saturday, in a protest they mentioned evoked an “end of the world” situation.

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Three activists from the anti-climate change organisation Last Generation poured a vegetable-based carbon liquid into the landmark Seventeenth-century fountain, identified to Romans as La Barcaccia, earlier than being escorted away by police.

The fountain, within the form of a ship, was designed by famed Italian sculptor Pietro Bernini.

Popular custom has it he was impressed by the invention in 1598 of a ship within the sq. after it was washed inland by a flooding Tiber river, Last Generation mentioned.

Turning the water black “foreshadows the ‘end of the world’ scenario we are heading for, as we increasingly step on the accelerator: drought alternating with devastating floods, which will put an end to life on Earth, along with heat waves,” it mentioned in an announcement.

Last Generation started finishing up peaceable however disruptive protests in Italy final yr forward of the final election, urging politicians from all events to make local weather change their precedence.

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The protests in Italy are a part of a collection of actions throughout Europe to focus consideration on local weather change.

Activists have thrown soup, cake, mashed potatoes or washable paint at heritage and tradition websites and artworks in museums.