Last October 29 we landed in Rome at the camp set up for activists in the Acrovax social center, to participate in the social response actions of the G20 Summit that was held from October 30 to 31 in the Italian capital.
The G20 Summit, which was held behind closed doors, once again brought together the leaders of the world’s main economic powers to discuss economic and political issues in an armored Rome that made it difficult for us to reach the “eternal city”.
On the morning of the 30th climate activists from various organizations gathered in Via Cristoforo Colombo to carry out a blockade action, since this street is the main access road to the EUR neighborhood where the celebration of the summit of the G20 would take place. The neighborhood was declared a maximum security red zone, preventing access to anyone outside the event. Finally, the police action ended with the blockade, leaving aside the activists who were able to continue with the concentration.
Finally at 3pm on the 30th we joined the demonstration that started from the Pyramid (Piazzale Ostiense), leaded by Fridays for Future, we shared the march with different social collectives, political parties and citizens, chanting some slogans such as: “From Rome to Glasgow your solutions are the problem” or “You G20, we future”. The ECOAR))) activists were characterized as skeletons that represented that the G20 equals death and the climate emergency. On our banner you could also read —Capitalism is death, #gustiziaclimática, #NONG20— in accordance with the general feeling of the demonstration. Dozens of international and Italian media covered the mobilization. At the same time, the city was armored with more than 7000 troops between the police and the army, blocking the marches that deviated from the route, finally when we reached Piazza della Bocca della Verità, the final point, we were forced to return to the starting point due to the police blockade.
On October 31 we participated supporting an Extinction Rebellion action, near the Fontana di Trevi, in the center of Rome, where the G20 leaders held a media event. Four activists chained their necks and held up messages such as: “Climate and ecological crisis” and “Governments failed.” Meanwhile another group of activists forced the limits of the police line to get as close as possible to the leaders. Finally the action in the Fontana ended and we left without further incidents.
The G20 leaders, who are meeting again in Glasgow these days, reached an agreement to limit the rise of the global temperature to 1.5 degrees, but scientists warn that this is no longer possible and that, in addition, this commitment without a roadmap or concrete measures are empty words. We will continue to mobilize to build a better future, “We are unstoppable, another future is possible!”
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