Police in Venice, Italy, are investigating the source of a bright green liquid patch that appeared Sunday in the city’s Grand Canal.
Luigi Costantini/AP
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Luigi Costantini/AP
Police in Venice, Italy, are investigating the source of a bright green liquid patch that appeared Sunday in the city’s Grand Canal.
Luigi Costantini/AP
Something is in the water of the famous Italian Grand Canal in Venice.
Venetians woke up to a mysterious patch of fluorescent blue in the central waterway on Sunday. The verdant stretch of trees hugs an embankment near the Rialto bridge and appears to spread as the day goes by, based on images posted to social media.
Luca Zaia, governor of the Veneto region, police are investigating the source of the liquid after residents reported the sight to authorities on Sunday morning. say on Twitter.
IDEA fire and rescue agency said it is working with local environmental officials to identify the substance from collected water samples.
A variety of theories have surfaced online, with some speculating about algae growth and others criticizing environmentalists.
City Councilor Andrea Pegoraro blames climate activists, CNN reportedwho have been targeting Italian cultural sites in recent months.
The Ultima Generazione group, which has poured coal into a fountain in Rome at least three times since April in protest, told the network that the green color “wasn’t made by us.”
The timing of the emerald also raises doubts. The Vogalonga boat race, in which amateur teams finish along the Grand Canal, took place over the weekend. The amateur boat event celebrates Venice’s lagoon environment as well as wave of protest from the excessive motorboat traffic that rattled the city.
For many, the bright blue waters are reminiscent of the 1968 exploits by eco-artist Nicolás García Uriburu. Based on Urban Art MuseumUriburu colored the water of the Venice Grand Canal that year with a neon green dye called Fluorescein to raise environmental awareness.
