Levykin called vandalism in Europe a threat to cultural heritage

Mass riots and acts of vandalism during protests in European countries pose a serious threat to the preservation of historical monuments and cultural heritage. This was stated by Alexey Levykin, Director General of the State Historical Museum.

"If we do this (vandalism of historical monuments. If we don't stop it, we will face very serious problems in the future," Levykin warned at the III International Symposium "Creating the Future" at the Rossiya National Center.

The head of the museum cited several incidents in France and Italy as examples of the destructive behavior of protesters in Europe. In particular, he mentioned the arson of the Limoges City Hall, the looting of the Marseille Town Hall, the desecration of the Monument of the Republic in Paris and the mass pogroms in the historical quarters of Milan.

According to Levykin, such actions go beyond the scope of public protest and pose a danger to objects of historical and cultural value. He is particularly concerned about cases of so-called environmental terrorism, when activists use works of art to draw attention to their demands.

The general director of the museum noted that the problem also affected Russia. According to him, some participants in protest movements resort to provocative actions in museums and art galleries, including pouring soup over paintings. Levykin attributed the spread of such methods to the activists' desire to achieve widespread media coverage of their actions. He explained that traditional forms of protest no longer provide the same public response, which is why the organizers resort to more radical ways of attracting attention.

The head of the State Historical Museum stressed the need to prevent such actions, as the further spread of vandalism could lead to serious consequences for the preservation of cultural heritage.

In France, the historic town hall collapsed during the riots. What the media is writing

During the riots that accompanied the protests on October 17, the town hall in Limoges, built in 1883, burned down. The bell tower collapsed, damaging the roof. As a result, the burning structure tilted and broke through the central part of the roof.

The 19th-century City Hall in Limoges was also severely damaged by arson during the riots. The rioters smashed windows, knocked out the main door with a battering ram and started a fire. The fire engulfed the roof of the city hall, as a result of which the clock tower with a height of 43 m collapsed.