Vandal colors Trevi fountain waters red

ROME, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- A vandal protesting the extravagance of Rome's film festival colored the waters of the famed Trevi fountain red with a bucket of dye.

"You wanted just a red carpet -- we want a city entirely in vermilion. We who are vulnerable, old, ill, students, workers, we come with vermilion to color your grayness," said leaflets left near the fountain in Friday's incident, the BBC reported.

The fountain was not damaged and the vandal escaped on foot through the crowds of tourists visiting the 18th century baroque landmark, featured in Federico Fellini's 1960 film classic La Dolce Vita, in which Anita Ekberg baths in its waters.

The leaflets left by a group calling itself ATM Azionefuturista 2007 denounced the cost of the RomeFilmFest, which had just opened in the city, reported Agenzia Giornalistica Italia.