Venice's iconic waterways were enveloped in a neon glow as an unexpected patch of fluorescent green made an appearance last Sunday. Starting near the famous Rialto Bridge, the mysterious glow appeared to spread throughout the day, captured vividly in photos shared across social media platforms.
Governor of the Veneto region, Luca Zaia, took to Twitter to confirm the unfolding situation, assuring locals and tourists alike that the source of this strange spectacle was under investigation by authorities.
???????????? Stamattina nel #CanalGrande di #Venezia è apparsa una chiazza di liquido verde fosforescente, segnalata da alcuni residenti all’altezza del Ponte di Rialto.
— Luca Zaia (@zaiapresidente) May 28, 2023
Il prefetto ha convocato una riunione urgente con le forze di polizia per approfondire l’origine del liquido. pic.twitter.com/te0JVCfodQ
Italy's fire and rescue team partnered with local environmental agencies to analyse the water samples and decode the identity of the mysterious substance.
Speculation abounded online, with theories ranging from an unusual algae bloom to potential interference by environmental activists. Venice City Councilman Andrea Pegoraro singled out climate activists for blame, citing their recent focus on Italian cultural landmarks, as reported by CNN.
However, the protest group Ultima Generazione, known for their unique demonstrations involving charcoal in Rome's fountains, firmly denied any involvement in Venice's green canal phenomenon.
The timing of the emerald invasion, coinciding with the amateur Vogalonga rowing regatta, fuelled further speculation. This amateur event, held to cherish the environment of the Venetian lagoon and to raise concerns over the disturbances from excess motorboat traffic, added another layer of conspiracy to the situation.
The sight of the fluorescent green canal stirred memories among some of an iconic 1968 event, when eco-artist Nicolás García Uriburu used Fluorescein, a neon-green dye, to paint the Venice Grand Canal green as a statement for environmental consciousness, an event documented by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
In #Venice,#Italy the water in the Grand Canal turned green for unknown reasons.
— Feher_Junior (@Feher_Junior) May 28, 2023
Specialists took the water for a sample and declared that this had never happened before. However, the police have a version that this could have happened due to the actions of eco-activists pic.twitter.com/LeJpYPdCyf
In a reassuring turn of events, local authorities uncovered that the source of the green hue was fluorescein, a non-toxic substance often used in wastewater network tests. Fluorescein, a synthetically produced dye, poses no environmental threat. Further analysis confirmed the absence of any toxic chemicals in the water samples from the canal, putting the city's environmental concerns at ease while adding a fascinating twist to Venice's unfolding environmental narrative.
However, unlike previous cases, no protest group has come forward yet to claim responsibility for what happened in Venice.
