Parma, Italy – Extinction Rebellion carried out a full weekend of disruptive actions against EOS – the European Outdoor Show – hosted at the Parma exhibition grounds during Palm Sunday weekend from March 28 to 30, 2026, entering the fair with three inflatable Pikachu figures.

Across two days of protests, the message remained clear: “Fuori le armi da Parma!”. The group called for a city assembly to demand that EOS leave Parma and not be hosted in any Italian city.

During the weekend, the movement launched multiple mobilizations opposing the hunting and sport shooting weapons fair. Activists entered the event to disrupt its activities, displayed a banner outside the venue, and joined a city bike ride aimed at slowing visitor access.

On the first day, three large inflatable Pikachu figures moved through the exhibition halls as if trying to escape. Within minutes, security and police chased them and escorted them outside while visitors watched in surprise and amusement.

On the second day, the Pikachu protest continued with a banner hung at dawn on the Parma fairgrounds reading “FUORI LE ARMI DA PARMA!”. The group later joined a bicycle demonstration organized by Casa Cantoniera, Critical Mass, and Docenti Per Gaza, where police responded with a large deployment of riot officers. The peaceful protest slowed traffic entering and leaving the fair. By Sunday afternoon, activists moved into the city center to join a march promoted by Casa della Pace.

“We are here because it is unacceptable that in a city that presents itself as culture for young people there are sellers of death, it is unacceptable to have the EOS arms fair here. Weapons are used to kill,” said Lotta, an artist involved in the action. “Today Pikachu wants to give a shock to the Parma fairs… it saw adults offering weapons for children to try and did the only sensible thing, run away. Hunting normalizes violence in everyday life. Death is not a sport, it is violence.”

EOS is presented as a “sport”, “outdoor” and “tradition” fair, while hosting producers and distributors of firearms and military accessories during a time of escalating global conflicts. Following recent attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran, the risk of wider war is seen as real.

“In our report ‘Aziende e rivenditori critici a EOS 2026’ we analyzed brands present at the fair involved in conflict or human rights violations,” said Daniele, a scientist who portrayed one of the Pikachu. “FN Herstal produces machine guns mounted on Merkava tanks that killed the Palestinian girl Hind Rajab… we documented several cases of weapons handled by minors at the EOS fair despite promises this would not happen.”

The group states that civilians remain the most exposed, facing bombardment, embargo, and lack of access to water, food, and care. It also links the climate crisis and increasing extreme events in Europe to rising deaths, criticizing the shift of public resources toward rearmament instead of adaptation and safety.

“We are not here to blame those who enter the fair,” Daniele concluded, “but to make a huge contradiction visible. Weapons are not a sport. They are tools of death. And today the world already has enough violence and deaths.”

Extinction Rebellion announced plans to open a public process with citizens and local institutions through a city assembly to discuss Parma’s future and demand that events promoting weapons, violence, or war are no longer hosted, aiming to build a national mobilization across Italy.

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