In Venice, a wave of protestors is claiming a significant victory as US tech magnate Jeff Bezos is forced to relocate his wedding celebrations following organized demonstrations against the event. Originally intended to be held at the opulent Scuola Grande della Misericordia, the main festivities will now occur at the Arsenale, situated further from the city center, as confirmed by local officials.
Activists hailed this change as a triumph of citizen power, with Tommaso Cacciari from the initiative dubbed No Space for Bezos declaring, "We are very proud of this! We are nobodies... but we managed to move one of the most powerful people in the world." The wedding will take place later this week, featuring an A-list guest list rumored to include celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Mick Jagger, and Leonardo DiCaprio, alongside political figures from the Trump family.
The event has spurred widespread protests from diverse groups, including locals concerned about over-tourism and climate activists opposed to Bezos’s political affiliations. In recent days, Venice has seen "No Space for Bezos" posters and banners highlighting the impact of wealth disparity and environmental issues, with some protestors arguing that such a lavish celebration epitomizes unsustainable lifestyles.
Greenpeace campaigner Simona Abbate emphasized that the protests represent broader concerns about wealth inequality and climate change, criticizing the extravagant lifestyle of the super-rich against the struggles of the less fortunate. Meanwhile, city officials have countered that high-profile visitors like Bezos contribute significantly to the local economy, dismissing protestors as a minority that does not represent the city's collective sentiment.
Despite plans for a more dramatic protest including inflatable alligators in the canals, that initiative has been scrapped. Nevertheless, No Space for Bezos is set to project messages onto city buildings and has called for further public protests against the commodification of Venice, with the aim of reclaiming the city’s image from that of a rental venue for the ultra-elite.