"Eat the Rich"

Climate activists spray Messi’s villa on Ibiza

Lionel Messi's villa in Ibiza was sprayed.

(Bild: AFP/APA/Futuro Vegetal/Handout/JUAN MABROMATA)

On the Spanish Mediterranean island of Ibiza, climate activists have sprayed black and red paint on the façade of a villa belonging to Argentinian soccer world star Lionel Messi. In a video published online, two activists from the Futuro Vegetal group can be seen coloring the white exterior walls of the luxurious property near the bay of Cala Tarida on the west coast of Ibiza.

The action was intended to draw attention to "the responsibility of the rich for the climate crisis". In the video, the activists hold up a banner with the English slogans "Save the Planet", "Eat the Rich" and "Abolish the Police". Futuro Vegetal explained that it had also targeted Messi's villa because it was an "illegal building".

Illegal rooms
Argentine Messi, who currently lives and works in the US west coast city of Miami, bought the villa with a private wellness area and a cinema room for eleven million euros in 2022, according to Spanish media. However, the certificate of habitability required in Spain has still not been issued for the property. According to reports, this is because several rooms in the villa were built illegally.

Futuro Vegetal also referred to a report by the aid organization Oxfam, according to which "the one percent of the richest people in the world emitted the same amount of greenhouse gases in 2019 as the two thirds of the poorest people in the world".

Futuro Vegetal is being held responsible for dozens of protests in Spain and other countries, according to the police. Among other things, they are said to have attacked buildings and works of art with paint, obstructed traffic and occupied airport runways.

Taped to Goya painting
In November 2022, two members of the group glued their hands to the frames of two world-famous paintings by Francisco de Goya in Madrid's Prado Museum - and in Barcelona, members of the group poured a colored liquid over a display case with a replica of a mummy. In January, 22 members of Futuro Vegetal were arrested.