The Teatro alla Scala has been vandalized by climate protests hours before the premiere of the 2022-23 season.

The protesters threw blue and pink paint on the opera house’s columns to promote more urgent actions to curb climate change. The paint was quickly removed by authorities.

According to reports, police detained five people in relation to the attack and the opera house acted immediately to try and clean the building in time for this evening’s gala event which will see European Commission president Ursula Von Der Leyen, Italy’s president Sergio Mattarella and Italian premier Giorgia Meloni.

Early reports speculated that the protest was in relation to various planned demonstrations by Ukrainian leaders or regarding the rising energy costs in Italy. The Teatro alla Scala has been on the defense after opting to open its season with “Boris Godunov” during the war in Ukraine.

General Director Dominuqe Meyer noted, “In doing ‘Boris Godunov,’ we don’t do propaganda for Putin. … This is a great masterpiece in the history of art.”

The climate protest is the latest incident around the world that has seen concerts interrupted as well as activists gluing themselves to artwork or blocking traffic.