Two foreign tourists who sped down the Grand Canal in Venice on Wednesday were heavily fined and boards confiscated, city authorities said.
The mayor’s office said in a statement that they had been fined 1,500 euros ($1,530) each for the incident, and that the city’s attorney was preparing to take further action against them to damage the city’s image.
Earlier, Mayor Luigi Brugnaro posted a video on social media showing a couple of surfers taking to the famous waterway as the sun rises in the distance. The mayor asked for help in arresting what he called “two arrogant people who mock the city,” and promised dinner for those who recognized the offenders.
Venice has long suffered from overtourism, and has a long list of rules governing visitor behavior.
The city fined German travelers $1,000 in 2019 for making coffee on the 430-year-old Rialto Bridge. Visitors are also prohibited from swimming in the canals and eating on the steps of the monuments. or face fines.
From next year, daily commuters will have to pay a visitor tax to help offset the higher costs of providing services in Canal City.
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