Defacing of Rome artwork celebrating Olympic champion Paola Egonu widely condemned across political spectrum
The mural by the street artist Laika was vandalised within a day after it was unveiled near the HQ of the Italian Olympic committee.The mural by the street artist Laika was vandalised within a day after it was unveiled near the HQ of the Italian Olympic committee.A mural celebrating the Italian Olympic volleyball champion Paola Egonu has become the target of “vulgar racism” after the athlete’s skin in the image was spray-painted pink.
The image featured Egonu, who spearheaded Italian women’s volleyball’s first-ever gold medal win at the Paris Olympics, as she jumps to hit a ball with the words “stop racism”. The words were also erased by the vandals, who are yet to be identified. Vannacci, who was elected to the European parliament in May with the backing of Italy’s far-right Lega, reiterated his view on Sunday after Egonu emerged as the top scorer in the women’s volleyball final against the USA.Antonio Tajani, Italy’s deputy prime minister, said: “I want to express solidarity with Paola Egonu and the most total disdain for this serious gesture of vulgar racism.”
Roberto Gualtieri, the mayor of Rome, said the vandalism was “a vile insult to a great Italian, who has brought the colours of our country to the top of the world, and to an artist committed to fighting against xenophobia”.
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