Venice, July 18, 2026 – Vandals in action in the heart of Venice, where one of the most famous and photographed monuments in the world was targeted in the middle of the night. Three young tourists of Pakistani nationality, residing in Milan, were caught and reported by the Local Police for defacing the Rialto Bridge with green and pink spray paint. The Municipality will seek compensation for the damages, including those caused to the city’s image.
The intervention of the police after citizens’ reports
The police acted around 4:40 am today after reports from various citizens and intercepted 5 people at the foot of Rialto, then taking them to the station. They had come to Venice to celebrate the birthday of one of them. Checks and image analysis revealed that three of the group, aged 20, 21, and 22, had committed the vandalism on the bridge and were therefore reported.
Previous incidents
The Rialto incident is not the first act of vandalism targeting Venice in recent years. We recall the raid by climate activists in December 2023 who targeted the St. Mark’s Basilica, throwing colored liquid and mud on the historic marbles. In May 2023, the waters of the Grand Canal near the Rialto Bridge suddenly turned a fluorescent green. In that case, it was not an act of vandalism with spray cans, but a demonstration action linked to historical or environmental activists, who used fluorescein, a non-toxic tracer substance. Added to this are repeated episodes of young tourists who, defying bans and urban decorum, choose the Venetian canals or the historic bridges themselves to provocatively dive into the water, being promptly intercepted and sanctioned with urban Daspo and heavy fines by the Local Police.
The Municipality’s strong reaction: “A line of absolute firmness”
“Damaging one of Venice’s symbols worldwide – said the deputy mayor in charge of Urban Security, Francesca Zaccariotto – is a very serious and intolerable behavior, showing a profound lack of respect and sensitivity towards our city. On incidents of this kind and, more generally, on behaviors that compromise the city’s decorum and citizens’ safety, our line will be one of absolute firmness. Those who come to Venice with the intention of defacing it – she added – must know that they will be identified and reported”.
