Amidst the picturesque canals and historic architecture, the dream wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez set for late June in Venice has ignited a firestorm of criticism among locals. Frustrated by what they view as the corporate monopolization of their beloved city, residents gathered near the iconic Rialto Bridge to pledge their intention to protest the extravagant nuptials.
Citizens' groups came together on Friday evening, discussing plans for demonstrations scheduled to coincide with the wedding, anticipating hundreds of guests arriving in the city. Protest organizer Federica Toninello revealed that, despite the secrecy surrounding the wedding's specifics, they have insider information regarding potential venues, including The Misericordia, a former charitable institution repurposed for events. She emphatically declared, “Bezos will never get to the Misericordia,” rallying the crowd of about 300 to take a united stand against the celebration.
Holding a banner that read "No Space [with an image of a spaceship] For Bezos," alluding to Bezos's ownership of the spaceflight company Blue Origin, Toninello emphasized the need to oppose the wedding and what it represents. She highlighted how the influx of tourism to Venice has driven up housing costs, forcing many locals out of their homes, and argued that events like Bezos's wedding exacerbate the problem.
While representatives for Bezos and Sánchez have yet to comment, the wedding coincides with Venice's peak tourist season, drawing tens of thousands of visitors daily. In response to the tourist surge, City Hall recently enacted an entry fee on weekends and holidays to mitigate the impact. Protesters fear that the wedding's logistics, particularly concerning security for high-profile guests, will disrupt the daily lives of Venice's shrinking resident population, intensifying already prevalent concerns about commercial encroachment.
