Cingolani to meet hunger-striking climate activists

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 16 - Ecological Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani on Wednesday was set to meet climate activists from the Extinction Rebellion group, including several young people who have been on hunger strike for over a week, for talks on the climate crisis, sources said.
    Five activists started a hunger strike and daily protests outside the Ministry of Ecological Transition (MITE) on February 8 as part of the Ultima Generazione (Last Generation) campaign, demanding a public meeting with Cingolani and other members of Premier Mario Draghi's government.
    Cingolani had refused to meet the activists until they apologised for a raid at the start of the month in which some Extinction Rebellion members burst into the ministry and sprayed paint.
    This meeting was agreed after an apology was issued on Tuesday, the sources said.
    The hunger strikers had received solidarity earlier on Wednesday in the form of a visit from Angelo Bonelli, the head of the Green Europe party, and MP Cristian Romaniello.
    "We came here to listen to the young women and men of Extinction Rebellion - Ultima Generazione, who are on hunger strike to obtain a meeting with Minister Cingolani," Bonelli and Romaniello said in a statement.
    "We hope the minister meets the youngsters as soon as possible, not just for their health, but also to safeguard the health of all male and female Italian citizens".
    Extinction Rebellion is an a group with branches in many countries that stages peaceful, but frequently disruptive protests, to highlight the gravity of the climate crisis and trigger action. (ANSA).