Mural for Egonu vandalised, pink spray on skin: bipartisan condemnation
During the night, the work of Roman street artist Laika, created on the wall in front of the Federations headquarters in Rome, was vandalised with pink paint covering the Italian champion's skin. Someone, meanwhile, decided to grab gloves and a felt-tip pen to restore the skin of the Olympian to its original colour
2' min read
2' min read
Less than twenty-four hours. That is how long the mural dedicated to Paola Egonu lasted to celebrate the historic Olympic gold medal in women's volleyball and to relaunch the fight against racism, hatred and xenophobia. During the night, the work of Roman street artist Laika, created on the wall in front of the Federations' headquarters in Rome, was vandalised with pink paint covering the black skin of the Italian champion. The umpteenth insult has triggered bipartisan condemnation, from Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to the secretary of the Italian Democratic Party, Elly Schlein. The Minister of Sport, Andrea Abodi, renewed the embrace given to the volleyball player in Paris with one that 'today is worth even more', as he himself wrote on social media.
An insult to 'Italianness' - this is the title of the work - against which all political leaders have spoken out and on which the investigators' spotlight could also be turned on. It is not excluded, in fact, that the images of the cameras in the area may be analysed to try to identify those responsible. In the meantime, someone has decided to take gloves and a felt-tip pen to restore the original colour of the skin of the Olympian who, for her part, preferred not to comment officially on the incident.
Sympathy and affection were expressed by numerous members of government, including the Minister of Tourism, Daniela Santanché. 'Every form of racism must be denounced and fought,' she wrote on X. For Sports Minister Abodi, on the other hand, 'respect and education are cultivated daily, to defeat ignorance, incivility and insensitivity. Together'. From the PD to the 5 Star Movement, from Azione to Forza Italia, there was unanimous outrage at the defacement of the mural. 'Racism is disgusting and must be opposed,' thundered the Dem secretary Elly Schlein, bringing up the issue of ius soli. 'For us,' she said, 'whoever is born or grows up in Italy is Italian and we will continue to fight to change the citizenship law'. The mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, spoke of 'shame': 'a cowardly insult to a great Italian who has brought our country's colours to the top of the world and to an artist committed against xenophobia'. 'An unworthy and cowardly gesture,' added the president of Lazio, Francesco Rocca, 'against the figure of a great woman'.
