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Rabat – They have a grouse about the way the world is inching towards climate disaster. So do environmentalists and the informed people across the globe. Various multinational bodies starting with the UN are also concerned and taking steps – though one can complain ‘inadequate’ – to mitigate. So the ‘Eco-Vandals’ set about redressing their grievance by defacing/destroying various soft targets – art museums and historical landmarks. While the main arena of activity has been Italy, other parts of Europe also were at the receiving end of the peculiar form of protest.
To begin with, I believe the coinage ‘eco-vandals’ itself is misleading to denote this group of millennials. ‘Eco-Vandal’ appears to mean somebody inflicting damage on the environment – if so, that has to be the rest of us who are blamed to be perpetrators of actions that are hastening global warming and associated ills! The ‘holier-than-thou’ activists (or attention mongers) in question have to be presumptive recipients of the ‘Eco-warriors’ tag though a more apt christening shall be as ‘art-vandals’ which they essentially are!
Consider the latest escapade of these wannabe climate activists. They poured charcoal – we are assured it’s ‘vegetable based’ – into Rome’s famed Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi last Saturday. Built in 1651 and famous as the Fountain of Four Rivers, the fount is an important tourist attraction of the Eternal City. The devious action hence could gain media coverage. But did it help in the quest for a cleaner environment? Quite the contrary since huge amounts of water – a dwindling resource due to global warming – is required to restore the fountain to its original state. Italy is planning to recover from the avowed enthusiasts the expenses for repair/restoration to rectify each such misdeed. Rightly so, as to why taxpayers should foot the bill for the wanton acts of the misled!
Indeed, there is one school of thought that thinks that these juvenile acts do attract the world’s attention to the need to slow down emissions, get rid of plastic, do away with fossil fuels etc. The vandals justify their method by pointing out that traditional modes of protests are not leading to desired actions. While it is true that the steps are not gaining the requisite momentum in spite of many a Climate Conference, pouring misery on the already stretched resources or defacing the works of masters also shall not bring in the delectable dividends.
A bohemian take on the protests presents them as a free test to the safety and preparedness of art galleries and display pieces of public interest – akin to a fire drill! The guys inflict only reversible damages – unlike burglars or a fire mishap. That’s of course an example of ultra-positive thinking! That way, philosophically thinking, every misery also leaves a silver lining – at least a tip on how not to repeat! ‘September 11’ too had a trivial positive takeaway – airport security was tightened, the concept of terrorism got crystallized and an insurance market developed in response!
In reality however, time is ripe to confront the modern-age vandals by punitive measures to drive home the message that asinine activism is not an alternative for affirmative action.
