Environment
Guessing the green Grand Canal in Venice
The Grand Canal is suddenly green. photo
© Luigi Costantini/AP/dpa
Indication of water pollution, a sign of climate protection or another reason? Nobody knows why the water shimmers green. Is there danger?
A shimmering green liquid in Venice’s famous Grand Canal has caused a stir in the lagoon city. Today the water near the Rialto Bridge suddenly glowed green.
At first there was no explanation for this. The Italian fire brigade announced that, together with the environmental protection agency Arpa, they had taken samples and were examining them. The Venice Prefect immediately called an emergency meeting with the police to investigate the incident. According to media reports, the authorities initially did not assume that the liquid was dangerous.
Some Venetians recalled 1968 when artist Nicolás Garcia Uriburu from Argentina colored the water of the city’s central canal green to indicate water pollution. Because recently in Italy more and more climate protectors were noticed with color campaigns, there were also suspicions that this could be such a protest – but initially nobody confessed to it.
On Pentecost Sunday, the traditional Vogalonga regatta took place in Venice, in which rowing boats, canoes and gondolas take part. It was launched in 1974 as a protest against motor boats.