Lionel Messi's house on Spanish island Ibiza vandalized by climate change activists

Aug. 7 (UPI) -- A group of climate change activists vandalized Lionel Messi's mansion on the Spanish island Ibiza, covering its walls with red and black paint.

The incident occurred Tuesday on the island in the Mediterranean Sea. The vandals held a sign that read "Help the planet. Eat the rich. Abolish the police."

Argentina president Javier Milei responded by calling for solidarity with a message posted on X.

"In Spain, communists who want to 'kill the rich and abolish the police to end climate change' vandalized a house belonging to Lionel Messi and his family," Milei wrote.

"I stand in solidarity with the Messi family for this cowardly and delusional event and I ask the government of Pedro Sanchez to guarantee the safety of Argentine citizens living in the Kingdom of Spain.

"Communism is an ideology fostered by envy, hatred and resentment towards the successful. It has no place in the free and civilized world. Long live freedom."

The activists -- from Futuro Vegetal -- posted photos and videos of the vandalism on social media. They also called Messi's mansion "an illegal construction."

Futuro Vegetal defines itself as a "non-violent civil disobedience group that demands that the government divert subsidies from livestock farming to promote socially and ecologically responsible alternatives."

"We are taught that the powerful are untouchable," the Futuro Vegetal group wrote on X. "It is true that policies are written and interpreted to serve those who have the most, directly attacking the rights of the rest of the population. But they are only 1%."

Messi is currently with MLS club Inter Miami, but is recovering from an ankle injury he sustained while playing for Argentina during the Copa America finale.

Inter Miami will host Toronto FC in a Leagues Cup Round of 32 match at 7:30 p.m. EDT Thursday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.