Climate activist Greta Thunberg has been given a 48-hour ban from entering Venice, Italy, following her participation in Extinction Rebellion actions that dye the Grand Canal green, according to reports. Thunberg, 22, was fined $172 along with around 35 other demonstrators, as per The Telegraph.
Extinction Rebellion maintained the non-toxic fluorescent dye used was safe, emphasizing the stunt’s intent to highlight the impacts of climate collapse and Venice’s vulnerability to rising seas and increasingly frequent flooding. The group argued the action was a way to draw attention to the massive effects of climate change.
The action was part of a coordinated protest across ten Italian cities, including Genoa, Padova, Turin, Bologna, and Taranto, during the COP30 United Nations climate conference in Brazil. Other cities saw fountains dyed green in Genoa and Padova, rivers turned green in Turin, Bologna, and Taranto. Extinction Rebellion criticized the Italian government under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for resisting stronger climate measures at the COP30 event.
Veneto Province Gov. Luca Zaia condemned the action, calling it a disrespectful gesture towards the city’s history and fragility. He warned of potential environmental consequences. Meanwhile, the group’s banner ‘Stop Ecocide’ was hung from the iconic Rialto Bridge in Venice, while a silent flash-mob of protesters dressed in red veils moved through dense tourist crowds.