Climate activists spray-paint Lionel Messi's mansion in Spain

Climate activists targeted Lionel Messi's mansion on the Spanish holiday island of Ibiza, spray-painting it to underscore the "responsibility of the rich for the climate crisis."

The action was undertaken by campaigners from Futuro Vegetal, who released a video showing two members standing in front of the house near Cala Tarida on Ibiza's western coast. They held a banner that read: "Help the Planet -- Eat the Rich -- Abolish the Police," before spraying the white facade of the building with red and black paint.

In a statement, Futuro Vegetal emphasized their intention to highlight the climate crisis's impact and the disproportionate responsibility of the wealthy. They pointed out that Messi's mansion, purchased in 2022 for approximately 11 million euros ($12 million), was allegedly constructed illegally, lacking a certificate of occupancy due to unauthorized construction of several rooms.

The group referenced a 2023 Oxfam report indicating that the richest one percent of the world's population generated the same amount of carbon emissions in 2019 as the poorest two-thirds, with vulnerable communities suffering the worst consequences of the climate crisis.

Futuro Vegetal, associated with similar international groups, has conducted numerous protests to draw attention to climate issues. In 2022, they glued their hands to the frames of paintings by Spanish master Francisco de Goya at Madrid's Prado Museum. Last year, they spray-painted a superyacht in Ibiza that reportedly belonged to Nancy Walton Laurie, the billionaire heiress of Walmart.

Spanish police arrested 22 members of Futuro Vegetal in January, including those involved in the Prado museum protest and the group's top three leaders.