Red paint was used to cover a well-known tourist attraction in Rome, Italy, called the Spanish Step, as protesters carried out this act to call for an end to violence against women. According to the Associated Press, on June 26, the Spanish Steps were covered in red paint by a group named “Burn it All (Bruciamo Tutto).” The group’s activists left handprints and painted the steps crimson, signifying blood, while on-looking tourists walked by.
“This is their blood,” the protesters said, denouncing the societal indifference to violence against women. “Husbands, lovers, and sons who murder women cover it up as though it’s commonplace.” The protest was initiated to raise awareness about femicide, or the killing of women simply for being female. The brutal murder of college student Giulia Chierchini last November sparked national outrage. More than 10,000 people attended Chierchini’s funeral, and candlelight vigils were held throughout Italy in her honor. “We will not remain silent. We will metaphorically scream to make our voices heard by the authorities,” the protestors vowed.
Videos of the demonstration were also shared on social media, but the protesters were quickly dispersed, and some were taken into custody by the Italian police. The red paint on the steps was cleaned promptly, and no immediate damage was reported. According to the Italian Ministry of Interior, 118 women were killed in Italy this year, with 96 of them murdered by family members or intimate partners.
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