In a bold environmental demonstration, climate activists targeted the nearly 1,000-year-old St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Italy, on Thursday, leaving the historic facade marked with mud and chocolate milk. Members of the group Last Generation, pouring what they described as "mud and Nesquik," asserted that their actions were a wakeup call to address the imminent threat of rising sea levels in Venice due to climate change.

During the act of vandalism, captured in circulating social media footage, one activist used a pressurized can to deface the church. The group declared, “You are the last to be able to see this church above sea level,” emphasizing their concern for the city sinking as a consequence of government inaction against the climate crisis.

Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro condemned the incident as a "serious and shameful act" in a Facebook post, expressing hope that the damage was not permanent. He urged dissent to be expressed within the bounds of the law and cultural respect, emphasizing that vandalism is not an acceptable method to find solutions. The Patriarchate of Venice and Last Generation’s Italian chapter have not yet provided comments on the incident.

In response to the controversy, Last Generation shared images of the protest on its X feed, with a protester waving what appeared to be a flare. The group's website outlines its demand for a permanent and preventive fund of €20 billion from the Italian government to address climate-related catastrophes. "They may arrest us all, but it won’t change the fact that their lies will soon take their toll," the group stated defiantly in a post.

Venice, grappling with the impacts of climate change, now faces the aftermath of this symbolic act of protest. The incident has ignited a conversation about the balance between activism and cultural preservation, prompting a call for constructive measures to protect the environment without resorting to vandalism.