Lionel Messiâs luxurious Ibiza mansion was the target of a shocking vandalism attack by the radical Spanish climate activist group Futuro Vegetal, according to reports.
The group managed to breach the football starâs lavish property, covering it in red and black paint, and unfurling a banner outside its entry that read: âHelp the planet, eat the rich, abolish the police.â
The break-in, which the group posted on Instagram, left Messiâs multimillion-dollar home in disarray, with activists also posing in the garden for more photos.
Futuro Vegetal, known for its extreme tactics, justified its actions on social media, claiming, “We tinted Messi’s illegal mansion in Ibiza.”
The group criticized the footballer for owning the $12 million mansion, labeling it as an âillegal constructionâ and highlighting the climate crisisâs impact on the Balearic Islands, where Ibiza — long a party destination for foreigners — is located.
“The richest 1% of the population is responsible for the same amount of carbon emissions as the poorest two-thirds,” the group said. They called for an overhaul of the economic system, asserting, “We need a radical change of system to face the Climate Crisis.”
Messi, who frequently visits the island with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and their three children, has yet to publicly respond to the incident.
The Argentine star, currently playing for Inter Miami, has been enjoying a break from football following his triumphant run with Argentina in the Copa America.
Activistas de Futuro Vegetal arrojan pintura a la vivienda de Messi en Ibiza pic.twitter.com/zCg3KnF5Tz
— Europa Press TV (@europapress_tv) August 6, 2024
The break-in has drawn international attention, with Argentinaâs recently elected president Javier Milei voicing strong support for Messi. Milei condemned the act on X, saying in Spanish, “In Spain, communists who want to ‘murder the rich and abolish the police to end climate change’ vandalized a home of Lionel Messi and his family.”
He called on the Spanish government to take action, denouncing communism as an ideology of “envy, hatred, and resentment towards the successful.”
“I stand in solidarity with the Messi family for this cowardly and delusional event and I ask Pedro Sanchez’s government to guarantee the safety of the Argentine citizens who live in the Kingdom of Spain,” Milei said.