Italy's Ultima Generazione (UG - Last
Generation) civil-disobedience group halted traffic outside a
Rome courthouse on Wednesday by staging a 'slow march' in order
to highlight the need to combat the climate crisis and show
solidarity for three members who are standing trial for spraying
paint over the Senate.
The three young people, Laura Paracini (26), David Nensi (23)
and Alessandro Sulis (21), are charged with aggravated criminal
damage for spraying easy-to-wash-off red paint over the front of
the Senate on January 2.
The second hearing of the trial was held on Wednesday and the
three risk prison terms of up to six years if they are found
guilty.
The protestors chanted "the paint comes off, but we're still
here" as they staged the slow march.
"We are paying for the government's senseless polices," they
said.
"They are killing us".
The group held up a banner calling for "Reparation Fund" of 20
billion euros to be set up to help people suffering the effects
of the climate crisis, such as the communities devastated by the
deadly floods that hit Emilia Romagna in May.
"The State is quick to repress people like me," said Sulis.
"But it is extremely, terribly slow when it comes to supporting
the people who are currently in great difficulty, people who
have lost everything and seen the work of their whole life
disappear, like in Emilia Romagna, where the damage is estimated
to amount to 10 billion euros.
"But the money that has been given is about one cent.
"That is why we were forced to carry out this act.
"The government will not commit to protecting its citizens.
"So it is important that the citizens demand what is right".
The Senate, the culture ministry and the city of Rome are
standing as civil plaintiffs in the criminal trial against the
three climate protestors.
UG has called a high-profile Italian scientist, the geologist
Mario Tozzi, as a witness for the defence.
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