Climate activists from the group Futuro Vegetal targeted Lionel Messi’s mansion in Ibiza on Tuesday, vandalizing the property with red and black paint, Soccernet.football reports.
The act was aimed at drawing attention to what the activists describe as “the responsibility of the rich in the climate crisis.”
The activists, who have previously staged protests at significant locations such as the Prado Museum, recorded their actions in a video.
In the footage, they display a banner in front of Messi’s house near Cala Tarida, on the west coast of Ibiza, reading, “Help the planet, make a rich person. Abolish the police.” They then proceed to throw paint at the white facade of the building.
In a statement, Futuro Vegetal emphasised their intent to spotlight the impact of the wealthy on climate change, describing Messi’s mansion as “an illegal construction.”
The group cited an Oxfam report which highlighted that the wealthiest 1% of the global population produced the same amount of carbon emissions in 2019 as the poorest two-thirds, noting that the most vulnerable communities suffer the worst consequences of the climate crisis.
Lionel Messi, who currently plays for Inter Miami in MLS, purchased the property in 2022 from a Swiss businessman for approximately 11 million euros. The house features a spa, sauna, and cinema room.
However, Spanish media reports indicate that the mansion lacks a certificate of occupancy due to unauthorized work carried out by a former owner.
Futuro Vegetal, linked to several international activist groups, has conducted numerous similar protests.
Notably, in 2022, they glued their hands to paintings by Francisco de Goya at the Prado Museum in Madrid and threw paint at a superyacht in Ibiza reportedly owned by Walmart heiress Nancy Walton Laurie.
Spanish authorities have been actively responding to these protests. In January, police arrested 22 members of Futuro Vegetal, including participants in the Prado protest and the group’s top leaders.