Image Credit: The Associated Press

Activists advocating against the use of fossil fuels and damage caused by climate change took to Port Vell, Barcelona, on Monday (27 May) and defaced 138-metre Lürssen, Rising Sun and 47-metre Baglietto Lion with paint while they were docked in the marina. Local authorities were called to the scene to handle the protest.

With the 37th edition of the America’s Cup scheduled to be hosted in Port Vell only three months away, concerns revolving around the security of the event have been furthered by the growing number of incidents in the region. 

Video Credit: The Associated Press

Calling for an end to fossil fuel subsidies, the protest, led by the local Extinction Rebellion and Scientist Rebellion branches, involved spraying black paint on the docked yachts and unveiling a yellow banner with the message ‘Fossil subsidies are our extinction’ while standing in front of the freshly vandalised vessels.

“In Catalonia, three unprecedented years of drought have pushed the agricultural sector to the brink of collapse and raised the prices of food and energy. It's a clear warning: persisting in burning fossil fuels is criminal and short-sighted,” said Extinction Rebellion Barcelona on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Megayachts are an example of an unsustainable lifestyle. The responsibility for the eco-social crisis lies primarily with the billionaires.”

Pedimos el fin de los subsidios como primer paso hacia el fin de la era fósil, condición para superar la crisis ecosocial en la que estamos envueltos.🛢️🌱 #Barcelona #AcciónDirecta #Sostenibilidad #ActúaAhora #CambioClimático

1/8https://t.co/abBsaJsple pic.twitter.com/ljf1cepbf7

— Rebel·lió o Extinció BCN - XR Barcelona (@XRBarcelona) May 28, 2024

The same group of climate activists vandalised Kaos for the second time last September while it was docked in Port Vell. Two members of Extinction Rebellion and Scientific Rebellion breached marina security and sprayed the 110m Oceanco vessel in red paint, then stood alongside the yacht holding signs that read ‘Billionaires should not exist’.

According to the group, the action is part of the Stop EU Fossil Subsidies campaign, promoted by European environmental organisations. Fossil fuel subsidies amounted to €405.1 billion in the EU in 2023, ten times more than what was spent on climate policies.

“Megayachts indirectly benefit from being exempt from paying taxes on their emissions. Financing fossil fuels is financing extinction. We call for an end to subsidies as the first step towards the end of the fossil fuel era, a condition necessary to overcome the ecosocial crisis we are currently facing,” claims the Group. “The action at the Port of Barcelona marks the beginning of the week of mobilisation against fossil fuel subsidies organised by XR in Madrid and other locations across the country until Sunday.”

Activistas de Rebelión o Extinción y Rebelión Científica rocían con pintura mega-yates en Barcelona para exigir el fin de los subsidios fósiles #JusticiaClimática #FinDeLosSubsidios #CrisisEcosocial pic.twitter.com/UCn2fjS3Jj

— Rebel·lió o Extinció BCN - XR Barcelona (@XRBarcelona) May 26, 2024

SuperyachtNews has reached out to local industry stakeholders, who have not immediately responded for comments. We will provide updates as further information becomes available.

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