The mayor of Italy has criticized tourists who were arrested for surfing on the Grand Canal

Two tourists were arrested for speeding down Venice’s Grand Canal on surfboards Wednesday morning after the Italian city’s mayor criticized the duo on social media, calling them “idiots”.

Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro Spread A video of surfers pulling on water buses and taxis and promising to buy dinner for their acquaintance.

In another clip posted on social media, a surfer fell off his board under the Accademia Bridge, but made sure to keep his phone out of the water to film his group’s exploits.

Brugnaro wrote that the suspects were “two arrogant fools who mock the city”.

The suspects were arrested later that day, fined $1,530 each and expelled from the city. Officials said in a statement that their expensive electrical panels had been confiscated and faced further legal action to damage the city’s image.

Venice has strict rules governing behavior in its canals and buildings. Swimming in the canals or eating on the steps of monuments in a city without roads is against the law.

German They were fined $1,000 from the city in 2019 for coffee on the famous Rialto Bridge and ordered never to return to the Veneto capital.

City launches visitor tax Next year to combat excess tourism and offset the costs of providing services to the municipality.

Tourists who do not have a hotel room will have to make a reservation and pay $10.50 to get to the city of canals. The vast majority of visitors to Venice do not stay overnight.

with wire