A shimmering green liquid in Venice's famous Grand Canal has caused a stir in the lagoon city. On Sunday, the water near the Rialto Bridge suddenly glowed green. At first, there was no explanation for this.
The Italian fire brigade announced that it had taken samples together with the environmental protection agency Arpa and was examining them. The prefect of Venice immediately called an emergency meeting with the police to investigate the incident. According to media reports, the authorities initially did not assume a dangerous liquid.
Some Venetians remembered the year 1968, when the artist Nicolás Garcia Uriburu from Argentina colored the water of the city's central canal green to indicate water pollution. Because more and more climate activists have recently attracted attention in Italy with color actions, there were also suspicions that this could be such a protest – but at first no one claimed responsibility.
On Pentecost Sunday, the traditional Vogalonga regatta was held in Venice, in which rowing boats, canoes and gondolas participate. It was launched in 1974 as a protest against motorboats.