Milan street art mural for 2026 Olympics vandalized with 'Fuck Olympics' graffiti

A significant mural titled SCALOdARTS, crafted by 20 artists along 200 meters of construction fencing for the 2026 Milan Olympic Village at the former Scalo di Porta Romana, was defaced overnight with permanent graffiti, including messages like 'Fuck Olympics' and derogatory remarks aimed at police. The Stradedarts collective completed the mural over three days in late September and early October 2023, featuring artists such as SteReal, Napal, and Coquelicot, among others. Following the vandalism, organizers covered the affected area with a white tarp. In an article by Massimiliano Tonelli for Artribune, the act is condemned as irreversible destruction of artistic works, contrasting it with reversible climate activism, and highlighting the growing issue of graffiti vandalism across Italian cities like Milan and Rome. Tonelli emphasizes that such acts harm poorer neighborhoods, where cleaning efforts are less frequent, and criticizes political inaction from both sides, noting that timely cleaning is the best deterrent. He also references a previous anti-graffiti initiative by Forza Italia that was obstructed by the Lega due to conflicts of interest related to their activists' past 'LEGA NORD' graffiti.