Thousands march in Italy to protest G20 ministerial meeting

Ruptly

Naples, Italy

Thousands of people took to the streets of Naples, Thursday, in protest against the G20 Environment Summit taking place at the city center's Royal Palace.

The march included activists from Extinction Rebellion, Avaaz, main Italian Unions, Greenpeace, Fridays for Future, and Stop Biocidio.

"It is a provocation to see 20 ministers occupying our city, the Royal Palace, one of the symbols of this city, without providing solutions. We want solutions. We don't want a catwalk and pretty events," said Raniero Maddona, a Stop Biocidio activist. 

Protesters could also be seen throwing water balloons at the police protecting the 'red zone' of the city.

Ministers of the 20 most powerful countries in the world are meeting in Naples between 22 and 23 of July to discuss the environment, climate, and energy.


SOT, Raniero Madonna, Stop Biocidio activist (Italian): "It is a provocation (the G20 summit) because here in the Campania region we have died for 30 years from tumors because they bury the waste underground. There is no plan for waste management. Not for hospitals. Hospitals are closed. People must wait more than a year and a half to heal from tumors. It is a provocation to see 20 ministers occupying our city, the Royal Palace, one of the symbols of this city, without providing solutions. We want solutions. We don't want a catwalk and pretty events."

SOT, Giampiero Laurenzano, Power to the People activist (Italian): "It is a meeting that is actually a theatric play. Because we already know that nothing will emerge from this summit. No binding commitment. They will talk about ambitions, but with ambitions we achieve nothing. We want acts."

SOT, Maria Teresa Imparato, President of Legambiente in Campania (Italian): "In Campania, in the center of Italy, but especially in Europe, are walking backward. There is so much talk of the circular economy in the southern center of Italy, but we have not yet closed the cycle of waste."
 

Publish : 2021-07-23 14:13:00

Give Your Comments