The District Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw has filed charges against two Last Generation activists for splashing an orange substance on the Mermaid statue in Warsaw on 8 March. The statue, created in 1938 by Ludwika Nitschowa, is located on the banks of the Vistula River and is listed in the register of monuments of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship.

Prosecutor Piotr Skiba, spokesperson for the Warsaw prosecutor's office, told Gazeta Wyborcza: "Julia P. and Marianna J. are suspected of damaging the Mermaid statue, its fountain basin, and the sandstone plinth on General George Smith Patton Boulevard on 8 March, acting jointly and in agreement." The suspects have not admitted to the charges.

The activists face a potential prison sentence ranging from six months to eight years and the obligation to reimburse the costs of restoring the Mermaid monument to its original condition. They may also be required to contribute to the National Fund for the Protection of Historical Monuments, up to the amount of the damage.

Prosecutor Skiba added that the total damage was over PLN 361,000. Although the orange dye used by the activists is water-soluble and theoretically easy to clean, it had seeped into the porous sandstone base of the statue, complicating restoration efforts.

In a statement released alongside their fundraising campaign for trial costs, Last Generation wrote: "On 8 March 2024, Julia and Marianna from Last Generation splashed the Warsaw Mermaid statue with a mixture of potato starch and food colouring. As an act of protest on International Women's Day, they aimed to draw attention to how the climate crisis is worsening conflicts and social issues, which in turn lead to increased violence against women. Their action brought national focus to the immense threat posed by the climate crisis and the politicians fuelling it."

Addressing the PLN 360,000 damage estimate and the potential maximum sentence of eight years, Last Generation remarked: "This is a political trial, and both the penalty and the damage valuation are utterly absurd."

Last Generation is an activist group rallying under the slogan: "We are the last generation that can stop the worst effects of climate collapse." Through their actions, they seek to raise public awareness of the ongoing climate crisis and the insufficient response from political leaders.

In Warsaw, the group has staged protests by blocking roads and bridges and disrupting a concert at the Philharmonic Hall. In Nysa, they contributed to reinforcing flood embankments. On 27 September, Last Generation announced plans to expand their activities to Poznań, Wrocław, and the Upper Silesian urban area.