Venice Grand Canal Turned Completely Green...Even People Hanging from Bridges Are 'Startled'

Venice Mayor Strongly Condemns "Environmental Destroyers"

The Grand Canal in Venice, Italy's representative tourist destination, turned green due to dye released during a protest by climate activists. Authorities called it "eco-vandalism" (acts that destroy natural and cultural heritage) and urged strong punishment.

According to foreign media on the 9th (local time), activists belonging to the climate action group Extinction Rebellion (XR) held a protest demanding action on climate change by releasing fluorescent substances into the waters of the Grand Canal in Venice.

They also tied themselves with ropes and belts to the railings of the Rialto Bridge crossing the canal and performed a demonstration holding a banner that read, "COP28: While governments only talk, we are hanging on the line."

The protest was reportedly held to criticize the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28), currently underway in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). They believe the conference has failed to produce substantive results.

Luigi Brugnaro, mayor of Venice, condemned the protest as "eco-vandalism (damaging public property, etc.)" and called those who carried out the protest "environmental destroyers," demanding authorities punish them.

The protest caused a temporary halt in traffic on the Grand Canal, and the recently renovated Rialto Bridge had to undergo another safety inspection.

After the protest, XR Italy headquarters claimed on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that the fluorescent dye poured into the Venice canal water was harmless and that the water would return to its original state within a few hours.

They added, "The climate crisis is bringing catastrophic consequences to Italy," and said, "Science tells us the situation will worsen, but politicians are wasting time on inaction. We cannot remain silent while our future is being sold out to the fossil fuel industry."