Climate activists from Futuro Vegetal vandalized Lionel Messi's £10 million family villa in Ibiza, claiming the rich are to blame for the climate crisis.
The protesters spray-painted the front of the Argentinian star's home and unfurled a banner reading, "Help the Planet - Eat the Rich - Abolish the Police."
Futuro Vegetal released footage showing two members standing outside Messi's Ibiza villa near Cala Tarida. They sprayed the white facade with red and black paint. The group stated on X (formerly Twitter), "We inked Messi's mansion in Ibiza. The mansion is an illegal construction the footballer acquired for the exorbitant sum of EUROS 11 million."
They also criticized social inequality, saying, "While the extreme right-wing blames the crisis on immigrants and displays extreme violence towards them, people like us who fight for a better world clearly understand the problem is social inequality."
Futuro Vegetal referenced a 2023 Oxfam report indicating the richest one percent of the world's population produced as much carbon emissions in 2019 as the poorest two-thirds. Despite this, the most vulnerable communities bear the worst consequences of the crisis.
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Messi's Mansion Under Scrutiny
Messi, currently playing for Inter Miami in the US, bought the Mediterranean island property in 2022 from a Swiss businessman. The villa features a spa with a sauna and a cinema room. However, according to Spanish media, the mansion lacked a certificate of occupancy due to the construction of several rooms without a license.
Futuro Vegetal has a history of similar protests. In 2022, they glued their hands to frames of paintings by Francisco de Goya at Madrid's Prado Museum.
Last year, activists spray-painted a superyacht owned by Walmart heiress Nancy Walton Laurie in Ibiza, causing significant damage.
Spanish police have arrested 22 members of Futuro Vegetal, including the two involved in the Prado protest and the group's top three leaders.
The group's actions continue to draw attention to the climate crisis and social inequality, with high-profile targets like Messi's villa bringing their message to a broader audience.
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