Venice Cruise Protesters Win Major Battle

In recent months, thousands of residents of Venice, Italy have taken to the city’s streets and waterways to protest the the volume of cruise ships calling on the city. After years of fighting the protesters have finally won a battle, as Italian officials announced plans to limit cruising around the city.

The Venetian protesters complained that the cruise ships’ presence damaged the city’s historic culture and polluted its waterways. They complained that the ships damaged the delicate marine ecosystem around the city. The protests got so contentious that some protesters even went out into the water in boats to block the ships’ entry.

Fuel was added to the protesters’ fire in June when a cruise ship collided with a dock, leaving five people injured. 

The Italian government recently announced that, beginning in September, large ships will not be allowed to enter into the city center. Instead, ships weighing over 1,000 tonnes will have to take a separate route. 

Published reports indicate that Venice hosted 594 cruise ships in 2018.