Venice fines ‘imbecile’ tourists for surfing down the Grand Canal

Two foreign tourists who sped down Venice’s famous Grand Canal on motorised surf boards have been identified and fined, city authorities said.

Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro called the culprits “imbeciles” after they were filmed on the waterway on Wednesday, and offered a restaurant dinner to anyone who could identify them.

It did not take local police long to track them down, fine them 1,500 euros ($1,528.05) each and confiscate their surf boards worth some 25,000 euros, a statement from Brugnaro’s office said.

The footage of the men surfing down the canal went viral on social media and helped the police to identify them, although the city authorities did not make public who they were.

“Thanks to everyone for the help,” Brugnaro tweeted, adding that the city would press charges against the tourists and inform the consulates of their countries about their conduct.

Ecco due imbecilli prepotenti che si fanno beffa della Città… chiedo a tutti di aiutarci a individuarli per punirli anche se le nostre armi sono davvero spuntate… servono urgentemente più poteri ai Sindaci in tema di sicurezza pubblica!
A chi li individua offro una cena! pic.twitter.com/DV2ONO3hUs

— Luigi Brugnaro (@LuigiBrugnaro) August 17, 2022

Earlier, Mayor Luigi Brugnaro posted a video on social media showing a pair of surfers heading down the famed waterway as the sun rose in the distance. The mayor asked for help in apprehending what he called “two overbearing imbeciles who are making a mockery of the city,” and promised dinner for anyone who identified the scofflaws.

Venice has long suffered over-tourism, and has a long list of rules governing the behavior of visitors.

The city fined two German travelers $1,000 in 2019 for making coffee on the 430-year-old Rialto Bridge. Visitors also are prohibited from swimming in the canals and from eating on the steps of monuments. or face fines.

From next year, day-trippers will have to pay a visitor’s tax to help offset the elevated costs of providing services in the canal city. (Agencies)