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Italy: Activists Scale Bank Building and Drop Grenade-Shaped Piggy Bank in Protest Against Fossil Fuel and Arms Investments

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Brescia, Italy - July 13, 2025 On July 13, activists from Extinction Rebellion staged a dramatic protest outside the headquarters of one of Italy’s largest banks. Protesters climbed the entrance columns and displayed a banner reading, “Our savings, your bombs.” In front of the building, a large pink piggy bank shaped like a grenade with a pig’s snout was placed. Another group, dressed as businessmen, theatrically carried coins labeled “your savings” and dropped them into the piggy bank. Laura, one protester, said, “The bank presents itself as supporting sustainable development and an inclusive society, but ordinary people’s savings are being turned into bombs falling on war-torn populations and climate bombs destroying territories.” The group denounced the bank’s massive investments in fossil fuel projects and the weapons industry. From 2016 to 2023, the bank funneled over $2 billion into the arms sector, with 60% going to Leonardo Spa, Europe’s top arms manufacturer. The “bombs” referenced on the banner are not only weapons but also fossil fuel projects responsible for over a billion tons of CO2 emissions. The bank currently funds six such projects estimated to produce 69 billion tons of CO2. Since 2014, the bank has invested more than $81 billion in the fossil fuel industry, making it one of the top 40 global financiers of this sector. Lorenzo, another activist, emphasized, “War and climate are deeply connected. Achieving net-zero emissions is impossible without ending wars.” The protesters highlighted the devastating climate impacts caused by ongoing conflicts, including emissions linked to Gaza and the war in Ukraine. Laura concluded, “Extinction Rebellion fights for a future where investments protect life instead of fueling war and ecological collapse. It’s time to rebel for life and take back our present and future.”

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