Symbolizing the importance of a message
The Laocoon, one of the Vatican museum’s oldest sculptures, was the target of environmental activists who staged a protest in Italy yesterday.
What was the protest about?
Gluing their hands to the base of the sculpture, with a banner affixed to it reading “No gas, no coal”, the activists were protesting the government’s exploration for natural gas and the reopening of old coal mines in Italy. They demanded that Italy increase its solar and wind power instead.
What did they want with the sculpture?
The sculpture, it turned out, wasn’t their primary target, it was just a metaphorical way to draw attention to their message. The environmental group – Last Generation – actually later said that the statue wasn’t damaged, after they were taken away from the spot by Vatican gendarmes.
On the Museum’s website, the Laocoon is said to have warned his fellow Trojans against accepting the wooden horse left by the Greeks during the Trojan War. According to Last Generation, the worsening impact of climate change is the current warning that is being ignored by political leaders.
