Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s wedding in Venice triggers ‘No Space for Bezos’ protests lrom locals
Photo: Reuters
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s upcoming wedding in Venice has drawn sharp criticism from local activists, who say the event symbolises the city’s transformation into a playground for the global elite.
The three-day celebration, set for June 26–28 , is expected to host around 200 high-profile guests, including Katy Perry, Oprah Winfrey, and members of the Kardashian family. But not all Venetians are looking forward to hosting the wedding in their city.
A protest group has launched a campaign titled “No Space for Bezos,” using banners, wall stickers and a prominent display on St. Mark’s Tower featuring Bezos’ name crossed out in red. Organisers accuse the billionaire of contributing to the city’s gentrification and pricing out its long-time residents.
Protesters in Venice raised an anti-Jeff Bezos banner and released a blue flare from the Basilica of San Giogio, ahead of the American billionaire's upcoming nuptials to his fiancé Lauren Sanchez pic.twitter.com/kI9KkDgfTo
“This wedding is the symbol of the exploitation of the city by outsiders,” Federica Toninelli, one of the activists, told Reuters.
Protesters have threatened to block access to the canals and narrow streets used for the event’s venues.
Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro responded by expressing disappointment over the backlash. “We will have to apologise to Bezos,” he said, calling the protesters unrepresentative of the city’s general sentiment.
If it goes ahead as planned, the wedding will be Venice’s largest celebrity nuptial since George Clooney’s marriage to Amal Alamuddin in 2014.