Italian Climate Protesters Transform Venice's Grand Canal in COP28 Demonstration

Italian environmental activists took to Venice's Grand Canal on Saturday, coloring its waters green in a symbolic protest against perceived inaction at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai. Members of the Extinction Rebellion group dangled from the iconic Rialto Bridge, unfurling a banner that delivered a pointed message: "COP28: While the government talks, we are hanging by a thread." Similar protests, turning stretches of rivers and canals green, occurred in various Italian cities, spanning from Turin's Po in the north to Rome's Tiber in the south.

The protesters employed a fluorescein dye, harmless and commonly used in industry to trace items in water, to create the temporary visual effect. Extinction Rebellion emphasized the fleeting nature of their demonstration, stating, "In a few hours, these waters will be back to what they were before."

However, they underscored the urgency of the climate crisis, noting, "In the meantime, while governments talk, we count the damage and the victims from constant floods and fires."

Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro condemned the protest, referring to the activists as "eco-vandals," and urged Italian authorities to take punitive action against them. During the demonstration, boat traffic on the Grand Canal was temporarily halted, and safety checks were conducted on the canal water and the recently restored columns on the Rialto Bridge.

"Venice is a fragile city, one that is to be loved and respected! Enough is enough," Mayor Brugnaro asserted. The protest in Venice echoes a growing global sentiment demanding swifter and more substantial action to combat climate change, with activists leveraging high-profile events like COP28 to draw attention to the urgency of the crisis.

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