Tourist climbs onto moving Venice vaporetto roof, filmed by friend, reported to police
An 18-year-old tourist from Reggio Emilia climbed onto the roof of a moving water bus in Venice's San Marco basin, a stunt filmed by a friend and shared widely on social media, before being intercepted by local police and reported for endangering navigation.
The incident
On the morning of Friday 3 July, a young man in a yellow T‑shirt and white cap scaled the roof of a vaporetto as it sailed through the Bacino di San Marco, between the Giardini della Biennale and San Zaccaria. He walked along the roof, made gestures at onlookers who urged him to climb down, and was filmed by a friend from the province of Treviso. The video spread rapidly on social media, amplified by city councillor Monica Poli, who posted it with the comment:
Enough, respect for our city!
Police response
A local police boat activated its siren and tried to pull alongside the vaporetto but could not stop it immediately. The tourist managed to slip away into the crowd after the first stunt. A few hours later he repeated the act on another vaporetto. This time the Nucleo Pronto Intervento of the Venice local police intercepted him at the San Zaccaria stop and took him to the Tronchetto command for identification. He was reported for interruption of public service and danger to navigation. The friend who recorded the video was also identified.
Official condemnation
Mayor Simone Venturini thanked the police and Actv staff and declared zero tolerance for such behaviour.
He added that he had asked city offices to evaluate every possible further measure, including a claim for compensation for image damage to the city.Those who think of using Venice as a stage for a few more likes on social media show disrespect for the city, for Venetians, for public transport workers and for all citizens and visitors who every day move about respecting the rules.
Veneto regional president Alberto Stefani called the act reckless and imprudent.
Putting one's own safety and that of others at risk for a social media video is a reckless and imprudent act. Venice deserves respect, not exhibitionist gestures that endanger its safety and image.
Former Veneto president Luca Zaia also weighed in on Facebook.
Climbing onto the roof of a vaporetto is not a prank: it is an irresponsible, dangerous and offensive gesture towards the city, public transport workers and all citizens. I hope the person responsible is identified and heavily sanctioned. There is a limit that cannot be crossed.
Social media and public reaction
The video’s virality was fuelled by Monica Poli, a city councillor known as “Lady Pickpocket” for her campaigns against pickpockets and for urban decorum. Her post drew widespread indignation and helped the police identify the tourist when a vaporetto commander recognised him from the footage later that afternoon.
