📍 Venetians Protest Bezos Wedding Over Wealth Inequality
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s wedding in Venice sparks public outrage and protest amid growing concerns about wealth inequality and mass tourism.
🛥 Bezos Arrives in Venice Under Tight Security
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sanchez arrived in Venice, Italy, on Wednesday, just days ahead of their lavish wedding weekend. Their water taxi docked at the Aman Hotel on the Grand Canal, flanked by two security boats. As Bezos waved to onlookers, the city braced for a flurry of celebrity arrivals—and a wave of protests.
🪧 Activist Groups Launch “No Space for Bezos” Campaign
The event has triggered backlash from local organizations. About a dozen Venetian groups, including housing advocates, anti-cruise ship campaigners, and university activists, united under the slogan “No Space for Bezos.”
The slogan is a play on both Bezos’s space ventures and the local sentiment that billionaires are occupying public spaces at the expense of residents. Protesters argue that the wedding highlights Venice’s increasing inequality, over-tourism, and lack of affordable housing.
🪧 Protests Hit Iconic Locations
Protesters have staged several creative demonstrations across Venice:
- Anti-Bezos banners appeared at iconic landmarks.
- Greenpeace and the UK group Everyone Hates Elon joined the protest, unfurling a massive banner in St. Mark’s Square.
- Activists floated a mannequin of Bezos on the Grand Canal, clutching an Amazon box and fake cash, symbolizing unchecked corporate wealth.
According to organizers, these acts are not aimed at the wedding itself but at “uncontrolled wealth, media monopolies, and the privatization of public spaces.”
⛔️ Plans to Block Wedding Venue Shift to Protest March
Initially, activists planned to block the canals on Saturday to prevent guests from reaching the venue. But after reports that organizers moved the wedding to the more secure Arsenale district, the protest plan changed.
Now, activists will march from the train station, claiming victory in having pressured organizers to change the location.
“It will be a strong but peaceful protest,” said Federica Toninello from the Social Housing Assembly. “We want to show the world what kind of Venice we envision—one that prioritizes its people.”
🎤 Celebrity Guests and Local Criticism
Over 200 guests are expected to attend the wedding, including Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo DiCaprio, Katy Perry, Mick Jagger, and Ivanka Trump. The event echoes past celebrity weddings in Venice, like George Clooney’s in 2014. But this time, the mood is different.
“Bezos isn’t a movie star,” said Tommaso Cacciari, a leading voice in Venice’s anti-cruise ship movement. “He’s a billionaire with deep political connections who represents global inequality.”
Critics point to Amazon’s labor practices, tax disputes, and Bezos’s political influence as reasons for concern.
🏛 City Officials Defend Event Amid Global Scrutiny
Mayor Luigi Brugnaro defended the wedding, calling it an honor for Venice and denying that it would disrupt daily life. He also said he hoped to meet Bezos during his visit.
Meanwhile, Corila, a local environmental research group, confirmed that Bezos’s Earth Fund had made an “important donation” to support research on protecting the Venetian lagoon. The amount remains undisclosed.
