Playground for the super-rich? Protests against Jeff Bezos' luxury wedding in Venice
Opposition is mounting in Venice against the planned luxury wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sánchez. Activists want to demonstrate publicly at the Rialto market.
13.06.2025, 20:05
13.06.2025, 20:14
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- There is opposition to the wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sánchez in Venice.
- The accusation from the population: Venice is becoming a playground for the super-rich.
- For Venice's mayor Luigi Brugnaro, however, this wedding is more of an honor for the city.
There are problems for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sánchez ahead of their wedding in Venice. There is resistance; the group "No Space for Bezos" has already unfurled a banner with a red cross over the billionaire's name on the bell tower of the church of San Giorgio - on an island opposite the magnificent old town.
Posters with Bezos' face and a modified Amazon logo have also appeared in the city. "Venice is not for sale," said the group.
The accusation? Venice is becoming a playground for the super-rich, while locals can barely afford to live in their own city. The group wrote on Instagram that they had no intention of "picking up the crumbs that fall from a billionaire's table".
The city rejects the criticism. It was a private festival with no restrictions for the public. Although water cabs are reserved for guests, regular boat traffic remains unaffected.
According to the Italian news agency Ansa, Mayor Luigi Brugnaro spoke of an honor for the city and described the demonstrators as a minority.
The President of the Veneto region, Luca Zaia, wrote on Facebook: "I hope that Jeff Bezos will be welcomed with open arms." He added that it was inappropriate to protest and that people should be proud, not hostile.
Lady Gaga to set the mood
According to the Italian media, the celebrations will take place between June 24 and 26. Around 250 guests are expected to attend, including celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Katy Perry (with whom Sánchez flew into space), as well as Ivanka Trump, daughter of the US President. Lady Gaga is to provide the musical accompaniment.
It would not be the first celebrity wedding in the lagoon city: actor George Clooney also married lawyer Amal Alamuddin here, as did football world champion Bastian Schweinsteiger and tennis player Ana Ivanović.
Venice is one of Italy's most popular tourist destinations - and has been suffering the consequences of mass tourism for years.
