A stretch of the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy, turned fluorescent green on Sunday, prompting police to investigate amid speculation about an action by environmental activists. The color change was reported by locals, according to the president of the Veneto region, Luca Zaia, on Twitter.
A section of the Venice Canal. STRINGER / AFP
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The prefect has called an urgent meeting with the police to investigate the origin of the liquid," he added. According to local daily La Nuova Venezia, police are looking into whether climate change activists could be behind the phenomenon.
Firefighters said they were helping the regional environmental protection agency take samples for analysis. This is not the first time the Grand Canal has turned green. In 1968, the Argentine artist Nicolas Garcia Uriburu dyed his waters green with a fluorescent dye during the 34th Venice Biennale, as part of an ecological awareness campaign.