In a controversial move, local authorities issued mandatory expulsion orders, banning five individuals from Venice for four years and implementing a 48-hour urban area ban (DASPO) on three others. Equipment was seized, including cameras. Critics of the actions taken by the police suggest the measures are disproportionate and do not correspond with the actual offenses committed.
Of particular concern are the expulsion orders served to some activists who are students at Ca' Foscari University of Venice. The application of this sanction, typically reserved for serious crimes such as those related to organized crime activities, is argued to be illegitimate, especially when served to individuals with strong ties to the city, a factor that should legally exempt them from such measures according to the law.
Extinction Rebellion has characterized the police response as a severe violation of democratic principles, labeling the accusations as unfounded and indiscriminately applied to all identified individuals at the protest, including a tourist and members of the press such as photographers and videographers.
The use of these stringent measures is perceived as part of a broader pattern within Italy, where activists calling attention to governmental failures in addressing the climate crisis are frequently labeled as security threats and systematically excluded from cities without trial.
The incident highlights the escalating confrontations between climate activists and authorities, with the former arguing for their constitutional right to peacefully protest and advocate for urgent action on rising sea levels threatening Venice, while the latter maintain a stance aimed at maintaining public order.
