ROME - Two activists from Italian campaign group Animal Rebellion threw paint on Feb 1 over the lion fountain in Rome’s iconic Piazza del Popolo, to protest against the presence of animals in circuses.

They used what they said was washable yellow and red paint before putting up a banner saying: “End animals in circuses.”

Tourists in the historic city centre square took photos with their phones before cleaners arrived to wash off the paint, some of which dripped into the water.

In a statement, the group said the action marked the launch of the Kimba campaign to end the “violent and oppressive” exploitation of animals in circuses.

It was named after Kimba, a lion that escaped from the Rony Roller Circus in the seaside town of Ladispoli, near Rome, in November 2023.

Extraordinary videos showed the fully grown lion with a shaggy mane walking through dark and deserted residential streets, before being captured and taken back.

His handler told AFP at the time that the lion posed no threat to the public.

More than 20 European countries have banned or heavily restricted the use of animals in circuses – but Italy is not among them.

A law has been drafted but has been delayed, according to the LAV campaign group, which estimates that just under 2,000 animals are held in circuses across Italy.

Spraying washable paint or other non-toxic substances over famous memorials or paintings is becoming an increasingly common form of protest.

On Jan 28, activists hurled soup at the bullet-proof glass protecting Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa in the Louvre museum in Paris, demanding the right to “healthy and sustainable food”. AFP