Climate activist Greta Thunberg has reportedly received a 48-hour ban from entering Venice, Italy, after joining Extinction Rebellion protesters in coloring the Grand Canal bright green.
The 22-year-old Swedish activist was also issued a $172 fine, along with approximately 35 other demonstrators involved in the action.
Extinction Rebellion stated that the dye used was a fluorescent, non-toxic tracer, commonly employed in applications such as tracking water flows or monitoring leaks. The group reportedly asserted that the dye posed no ecological threat.
The group further argued that the stunt was intended to “draw attention to the massive effects of climate collapse,” and claimed that Venice ranks among Europe’s most vulnerable cities due to rising levels.
Thunberg’s protest occurred as the climate summit concluded in Brazil, with Extinction Rebellion coordinating similar actions across ten Italian cities.
These coordinated actions included the dyeing of rivers green in Turin, Bologna, and Taranto.
Additionally, their 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.
Veneto Province Governor Luca Zaia described the stunt by Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion as “a gesture that risks having consequences for the environment.”
Zaia also criticized the action as “a disrespectful act towards our city, its history and its fragility.”
Extinction Rebellion had also criticized the Italian government under its current leadership for resisting stronger climate measures at the Brazilian COP30 event.