"Portuguese Street Artist's Bold Protest: 'Banknote' Carpet Unveiled Against Pope's Visit"
Portuguese street artist Bordalo II protests the amount of public funds spent on Pope Francis' visit to Lisbon by breaking into a venue where the Pope will celebrate a mass and rolling out a carpet made of oversized banknotes. The artist, known for his political art made from garbage, criticized the 161 million euros ($177 million) estimated cost of the event, which will be paid by the government, the Catholic Church, the city council of Lisbon, and nearby Loures. The protest highlights the contrast between the expenditure and the economic struggles faced by many Portuguese citizens.