ROME — Environmentalists broke into power stations across Italy and shed their clothes in downtown Rome today as world leaders discussed a new deal to combat global warming.
Dozens of activists from 18 countries scaled smokestacks and occupied four coal-fired Italian power plants, hanging banners that called on the Group of Eight summit in central Italy to take the lead in fighting climate change, Greenpeace said.
Italian energy giant Enel, which owns three of the plants, said production had not been disrupted by the protests. Employees at two of the plants staged counterdemonstrations, and the union for Italy’s energy workers condemned the protest.
In Rome, activists from charity group Oxfam International put on masks of world leaders and dressed up as chefs, stirring a mock Earth in a pot representing the planet’s rising temperature.
On the historic Spanish Steps, environmentalists stripped half-naked in front of tourists and unfurled a banner calling on leaders to “Keep climate cool.” Police briefly detained two women, a French and an American, as well as a Greek man.
The G-8 industrialized economies and other nations are working to commit to a goal of keeping the world’s average temperature from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit).
If the deal goes through, it would mark a significant step forward since the G-8 has previously refused to adopt that temperature limit as a political goal.
The climate change stunts came a day after anti-globalization groups in the capital blocked roads and rail tracks and clashed with police in violent protests against the G-8. Nearly 40 activists were detained.
Also today, the ANSA news agency reported that police had briefly held four Dutch citizens who were traveling to the summit area with helmets, gas masks and sticks in their car.
Several demonstrations have been scheduled in Rome and L’Aquila, the quake-shattered central Italian town hosting the three-day summit that opened today.
In one such protest, L’Aquila residents climbed a hill in front of the police school serving as the summit venue and set up giant plastic letters reading “Yes we camp” ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama’s arrival.
The wordplay on Obama’s “Yes we can” campaign slogan sought to remind the world leaders about the thousands of earthquake survivors who are still living in makeshift tent camps since the devastating April 6 temblor.
The Italian government chose L’Aquila as host to highlight the population’s plight, but some locals fear the decision is diverting time and resources from the rebuilding of their shattered homes.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
