Climate change activists disrupt Rome marathon, leading to arrest

 In a bold move to raise awareness about climate change, three activists part of the environmental advocacy group, Last Generation, staged a protest during the Rome marathon on Sunday. The activists, who briefly interrupted the race at 9:00 am local time, were quickly apprehended by law enforcement officers and taken to a nearby police station, according to a statement released by Last Generation.

The group, which has been actively campaigning for stronger climate action in Italy, sounded the alarm on the climate hazards expected to impact the country during the upcoming spring and summer months. They tried to point out the potential consequences of rising temperatures, such as heat-related fatalities and the creation of uninhabitable environments.

Climate change activists disrupt Rome marathon, leading to arrest

Mida, a 26-year-old student who was among those detained during the protest, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that she felt she had to act to draw attention to the problems that could be caused by climate change.

And that’s not all, Last Generation has also called on the Italian government to establish a 20 billion euro (Around $22 billion) reparations fund to assist people affected by the impacts of climate change.

The group’s previous actions, which have included gestures such as throwing soup, cakes, and paint on cultural sites and museum artworks, hope to cause shock to make the public engage in conversations about climate change.

Scientists support the activists’ concerns, citing evidence that human-induced climate change is only making extreme weather, such as droughts, heatwaves, and wildfires, worse and more common.