Greta Thunberg protests COP30 in Brazil by throwing green dye in Venice’s Grand Canal

Climate protester Greta Thunberg and 35 fellow Extinction Rebellion members have been slapped with 48-hour bans from entering Venice and fines of €150 each after turning the iconic Grand Canal emerald green in a senseless weekend protest.

The eye-catching stunt, timed to coincide with the gruelling finale of the COP30 UN climate summit in Brazil, is said to have been meant to spotlight the “catastrophic impacts of climate collapse” on fragile ecosystems, like, for example, Venice’s lagoon.

The activists insisted the dye was eco-friendly and biodegradable, vanishing without lasting harm. “This is a cry for urgent action,” Thunberg said in a post-protest statement, flanked by demonstrators who unfurled a massive “Stop Ecocide” banner from the bustling Rialto Bridge.

The group escalated the spectacle with a haunting flash mob: dozens clad in crimson robes and veiled faces shuffled solemnly through throngs of bewildered tourists, evoking a funeral procession for “the dying planet”.

Veneto Governor Zaia: “They want selfies, not solutions”

Veneto Governor Luca Zaia lambasted the action as “an affront to our city’s heritage and vulnerability.” He warned of potential ripple effects on local wildlife, despite assurances from organisers. “Thunberg and her cohort seek selfies over solutions,” Zaia fumed, echoing critics who decry such theatrics as disruptive virtue-signalling.

Not everyone agreed. Tourists like British visitor Emily Hargrove praised the display: “It’s raw and real—world leaders at COP30 are dithering while seas rise. This wakes people up.” Indeed, the protest amplified frustration with the summit’s tepid outcomes. As talks dragged into overtime, insiders leaked details of a “watered-down” accord lacking a binding fossil fuel phase-out roadmap. COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago confirmed a framework deal but admitted the ambitious transition plan, backed by over 80 nations and Brazil’s own leader, would be relegated to a non-binding side proposal. “It’s progress, but weak,” sighed Greenpeace’s Jasper Inventor, a former Philippine negotiator.

Extinction Rebellion deliberately synchronised the Venice action with parallel disruptions across Italy: fountains in Genoa and Padova ran green, while rivers in Turin, Bologna, and Taranto were similarly tinted. The group strongly criticised Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government for stonewalling bolder COP30 measures, accusing it of fossil fuel favouritism.

Thunberg’s flair for high-drama interventions has long polarised opinions, blurring the lines between environmental zeal and geopolitical advocacy. At 22, she’s evolved from school striker to global gadfly, but detractors like Israel’s defence minister brand her efforts “Hamas propaganda”. Supporters say the “Greta effect” is a surge in youth activism that has mobilised millions.

With bans and backlash mounting, the question still lingers of whether her spectacle will lead to change or just more Instagram posts.