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The Grand Canal turned a shocking shade of green over the weekend after Greta Thunberg and her Extinction Rebellion group emptied eco-dye into the water, saying they wanted to call out world leaders for dragging their feet on climate action.
Wearing flowing red capes and veils, the group staged small flash-mob protests around the city and unfurled “Stop Ecocide” banners from the iconic Rialto Bridge, a visual that stopped tourists in their tracks.
The activists insist the dye was harmless. Venice officials, however, were far from reassured. They labeled the act vandalism, and UNESCO raised its own concerns about potential risks to the city’s already vulnerable waterways and historic structures.
Authorities reacted quickly, slapping the group with a roughly $172 fine and banning them from the city for 48 hours, a mild penalty, but enough to send the message that Venice doesn’t appreciate surprise chemical experiments in its canals.
By Monday, the water had mostly returned to normal. The argument hasn’t: supporters say the stunt was a wake-up call, while critics call it reckless theater in a fragile city that’s already under environmental stress.
Greta Thunberg has been banned from entering Venice for two days and fined €150 after she poured green dye into the city's Grand Canal.
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) November 25, 2025
Local authorities called it "another act of vandalism" that harms both the city and its lagoon. pic.twitter.com/qpXXZtoWL8
*Source: Visegra
