WATCH Viral Video: Mansion Of Lionel Messi Vandalised By Climate Activists In Ibiza

A mansion belonging to Argentine football star Lionel Messi on the Spanish holiday island of Ibiza was vandalized by climate activists, on Tuesday.

The property, located near the cove of Cala Tarida on Ibiza's western coast, was spray-painted by members of the group Futuro Vegetal, as per local media reports.

Climate Activists In Messi Home: Watch What Happened Next?

A video released by the group showed two activists standing in front of Messi's residence, holding a banner that read: "Help the Planet -- Eat the Rich -- Abolish the Police." The activists proceeded to spray red and black paint on the mansion's white facade.

Messis mansion in Ibiza being vandalized by environmental activists pic.twitter.com/oUFlnkwLKc

— Messi Updates (@M10Update) August 6, 2024

In their statement, Futuro Vegetal highlighted their intention to emphasize "the responsibility of the rich for the climate crisis." The mansion, which was reportedly purchased by Messi in 2022 from a Swiss businessman for approximately 11 million euros ($12 million), was identified as an "illegal construction" by the activists, as reported by NDTV.

The lack of a certificate of occupancy was cited, which is required to certify the building's livability due to unlicensed construction. The group's protest was informed by a 2023 Oxfam report, which found that the richest one percent of the global population generated the same amount of carbon emissions in 2019 as the poorest two-thirds. Despite this, the most vulnerable communities are suffering the worst effects of the climate crisis, as per media reports.

Futuro Vegetal has been known for similar actions in the past. In 2022, the group staged a protest at Madrid's Prado Museum, where activists glued their hands to paintings by Francisco de Goya. The group also spray-painted a superyacht moored in Ibiza, allegedly belonging to billionaire heiress Nancy Walton Laurie. Spanish police reported the arrest of 22 Futuro Vegetal members in January, including those involved in the Prado protest and the group's top leaders.