Spanish Steps get Bouncey

Colored Balls Tumble Down Spanish Steps

ROME (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of brightly colored balls went cascading down Rome's famed Spanish Steps in the latest stunt orchestrated by the man who dyed the waters of the Trevi Fountain red.

LINK: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gzODmDwNdvt548zp7R8CThNyZRHgD8U7LMUG0

Note: Is it Art Terrorism? I think we should decide never to use that word again... (& I don't mean the "Art" word!)

Another article, to tell you "why" the bouncing...

Bouncing for Burma By The Irrawaddy January 17, 2008

A colorful demonstration for democracy in Burma literally bounced onto the scene in central Rome. Demonstrators led by well-known activist Graziano Cecchini sent hundreds of thousands of colored balls bouncing down the famous Spanish Steps in the Italian capital.

Tourists, particularly children, were delighted by the show, which Cecchini said was aimed at drawing attention to Burma and, in particular, the plight of the Karen people, who have been fighting for their rights for nearly 60 years.

The 500,000 balls cost Cecchini about US $30,000. Most of them were swept up by street cleaners and shovel-wielding police, who worked for several hours to clear the Piazza de Spagna at the foot of the broad flight of steps.

Last year, Cecchini poured scarlet dye into another famous Rome landmark, the Trevi fountain, in a protest action.

LINK: http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=9963