Rome– A group of environmental activists surprised the audience with a protest, during a speech by the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry Francesco Lollobrigida.

 The minister was giving a video-recorded speech at the Festival of sustainable development organized by Asvis in the church of Santi Marcellino e Festo, in the historic center of Naples. 

 Within seconds of the video starting, the group of activists burst into the church saying: "Excuse us if we intervene during the intervention of minister Lollobrigida - said one of the activists - but we consider it unacceptable that the fascists could express themselves within a place of training. We deem it unacceptable that people like Francesco Lollobrigida can talk about ethnic substitution within the places of training”.

The activists also carried a banner that read: "Who do you want to give it to drink, ethical replacement of the agri-food system". 

 Quickly after the interruption, the activists were escorted out by security. 

 The protest comes as part series of environmental protests that have been happening around Italy and Europe. Only 6 days prior another protest took place in Rome where environmental protesters blocked traffic whilst being topless.

 Although France and the UK have been predominantly in the news, after environmental activists threw cake at the Mona Lisa and soup at Van Gogh, Italy is now also seeing a rise in environmental protests across the country.

sz