Venice's iconic waters turn fluorescent green near Rialto Bridge
A gondola navigates along Venice's historical Grand Canal as a patch of phosphorescent green liquid spreads in it. AP
Police in the Italian city of Venice began an investigation into the cause of the appearance of a phosphorescent green liquid stain in the city's famous Grand Canal.
The governor of the Veneto region, Luca Zaya, published a picture of the green liquid that spread through the water near the arched Rialto Bridge, through his account on Twitter, explaining that residents reported the presence of this strange liquid, expressing their fears.
Zaya said officials asked the police to investigate the matter, so environmental authorities ran tests on the canal water to find out why.
Pictures circulating on social media show a bright green swath of the canal along a bridge lined with restaurants.
The incident echoes recent episodes in Italy where environmental groups have been colouring monuments, including using vegetable charcoal to turn the waters of Rome's Trevi fountain black in a protest against fossil fuels.
However, unlike previous cases, no activist group has come forward to claim responsibility for what happened in Venice.
