Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has been handed a 48-hour ban from the city of Venice and fined after taking part in a protest that saw the waters of the Grand Canal turned a vivid green. The demonstration, organised by the environmental group Extinction Rebellion, took place on 24 November 2025 and involved around 35 activists including Thunberg.
Participants allegedly poured a non-toxic tracer dye into the canal, transforming its water into a striking green hue. The action was accompanied by a banner reading “Stop Ecocide” strung from the historic Rialto Bridge. Some demonstrators, dressed in red with veiled faces, paraded slowly through the city’s canals and tourist crowds in a symbolic display aimed at highlighting what they described as the “massive effects of climate collapse.”
The protest was timed to coincide with the conclusion of the COP30 climate conference in Brazil, a summit whose final accord failed to include language mandating restrictions on fossil fuels, a failure protesters said illustrated the weak global commitment to curbing climate change.
Venetian authorities moved swiftly. The regional governor condemned the demonstration as “a disrespectful act towards our city, its history and its fragility.” As a consequence, Thunberg and all other activists involved in Venice were issued with a temporary exclusion order and fined €150 each.