Locals block cruise ship in Venice

Fearing that the influx of tourists would negatively impact local life, Italians took to the streets in small boats, blowing trumpets and throwing colored fireworks to stop the cruise ships.

The Telegraph reported that recently, Italians on small boats blew trumpets and threw colored fireworks to block the passage of tourist boats. Protesters also held up signs saying: "No big ships allowed" as a tourist boat was carrying passengers up the Giudecca Canal, preparing to dock.

The protest stemmed from local concerns about environmental damage affecting culture and life here due to the increasing number of cruise ships coming to Venice.

This is not the first time Venetians have blocked cruise ships from docking. In 2013, people donned wetsuits and swam in the world-famous Giudecca Canal to stop cruise ships from docking. Photo: Alamy.

About 22 million tourists visit Venice each year, often causing disruptions to local life, including traffic jams. Tourists have also been criticized for unsightly behavior, such as jostling to get on speedboats while carrying bulky backpacks and walking around in bikinis or shorts. In August, a group of protesters plastered walls in the city with the words: "Tourists, go away, you're ruining this city."

However, the tourism companies said that the damage to their boats was insignificant compared to the benefits it brought to 5,000 households here.

In 2013, Italy passed a law that banned ships over 96,000 tons from using the Giudecca Canal. The number of smaller ships allowed to use the canal was also limited to five per day. However, this law was lifted at the end of 2015.

According to VNE