Bezos wedding in Venice: court against the exploitation of the city
Saturday marks the last day of celebrations for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez wedding which left Venice divided, estimated at a cost of over €42 million.
Following Friday's reception on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, where Bezos and his wife tied the knot during a private ceremony with around 200 celebrity guests including Leonardo DiCaprio, the Kardashian sisters, Tom Brady, Orlando Bloom, Ivanka Trump and Bill Gates.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people demonstrated on Saturday through the streets and canals of Venice against the union being celebrated in Venice.
The protest organised by the 'No space for Bezos' committee started from Venice's railway station and reached campo Erbaria, at the foot of the Rialto Bridge. Protesters from across north-eastern Italy gathered with inflatables and placards to voice their opposition to the wedding of the Amazon founder and the American journalist.
On Saturday, it was also VIP-hunting in Venice, as several guests took the opportunity to visit the city's most iconic landmarks.
Demonstrations against Bezos's wedding
The protests had already begun in the days leading up to the wedding, as the couple and their guests arrived in the Venetian Lagoon. On Friday night, the eve of the ceremony the message "No kings, no Bezos / f**k oligarchs" was projected onto the bell tower in St Mark's Square.
On Wednesday, activists paraded a float along the Grand Canal with a dummy of Bezos clinging to an Amazon box, his fists full of fake dollars. On Monday, the activists joined Greenpeace and the British group 'Everyone Hates Elon', which destroyed Teslas in protest against Elon Musk, and unfurled a large banner in St Mark's Square against tax breaks for billionaires . The banner read: 'If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more taxes'.
Why are there protests against Bezos in Venice?
Interviewed by Euronews, Marta Sottoriva, organiser of the No Space for Bezos campaign, said that the protest was not against the wedding itself, but against what it symbolises for Venice. "We are not protesting against weddings, but against the vision of Venice as a city where you only come to consume," Sottoriva said.
According to the activist, Bezos is a symbol of 'a wealth built on the exploitation of the many', citing Amazon's opposition to unionisation and recalling the billionaire's presence at Donald Trump's presidential inauguration.
Initially the newly married couple had planned to celebrate the wedding at the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, but the event was moved due to protests. The three-day event ended with a grand masquerade ball at the historic Arsenale, with performances given by Lady Gaga and Elton John .
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Euronews
4 hours ago
- Euronews
Protests erupt again in Venice over Bezos and Sanchez's lavish wedding
Saturday marked the last day of celebrations for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his partner Lauren Sanchez's wedding, estimated to have cost over €42 million. The fete on Saturday followed Friday's reception on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, where Bezos and his wife tied the knot during a private ceremony with around 200 celebrity guests, including Leonardo DiCaprio, the Kardashian sisters, Tom Brady, Orlando Bloom, Ivanka Trump and Bill Gates. Meanwhile, hundreds of people demonstrated on Saturday through the streets and canals of Venice against the union being celebrated in Venice. The protest organised by the "No space for Bezos" committee started from Venice's railway station and reached Campo Erbario at the foot of the Rialto Bridge. Protesters from across the region of Veneto and Italy gathered with inflatables and placards to voice their opposition to the wedding of the billionaire and the US journalist. On Saturday, it was also VIP-hunting in Venice, as several guests took the opportunity to visit the city's most iconic landmarks. Demonstrations against Bezos's wedding The protests had already begun in the days leading up to the wedding, as the couple and their guests arrived in the Venetian lagoon. On Friday night, the eve of the ceremony, the message "No kings, no Bezos/f**k oligarchs" was projected onto the bell tower in St Mark's Square. On Wednesday, activists paraded a float along the Grand Canal with a dummy of Bezos clinging to an Amazon box, his fists full of fake dollars. On Monday, the activists joined Greenpeace and the British group 'Everyone Hates Elon', which destroyed Teslas in protest against Elon Musk, and unfurled a large banner in St Mark's Square against tax breaks for billionaires.** The banner read: 'If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more taxes'. Why are there protests against Bezos in Venice? Interviewed by Euronews, Marta Sottoriva, organiser of the No Space for Bezos campaign, said that the protest was not against the wedding itself, but against what it symbolises for Venice. "We are not protesting against weddings, but against the vision of Venice as a city where you only come to consume," Sottoriva said. According to the activist, Bezos is a symbol of "wealth built on the exploitation of the many," citing Amazon's opposition to unionisation and recalling the billionaire's presence at US President Donald Trump's inauguration. Initially, the couple had planned to celebrate the wedding at the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, but the event was moved due to protests. The three-day event concluded with a grand masquerade ball at the historic Arsenale, featuring performances by Lady Gaga and Elton John.
France 24
19 hours ago
- France 24
'Eat the rich': Venice protests shadow Bezos wedding
"Bezos, out of the lagoon", the demonstrators chanted as they wound through the city centre, some brandishing signs that read: "Eat the rich", "Rejected", and accusations that Venice's mayor is "corrupt". The peaceful protest, held in sweltering heat, was led by the "No place for Bezos" group, which has campaigned for days against what it calls the couple's harmful economic and environmental footprint on the city. "We are here against what Bezos represents, his model, the Amazon model, based on exploiting people and land," said Alice Bazzoli, 24, an activist with "No Space for Bezos" who has lived in Venice for five years, speaking to AFPTV. Protesters later unfurled a large "No place for Bezos" banner and lit flares above the famous Rialto Bridge spanning the Grand Canal. Matteo Battistuta, a 20-year-old student, said he wanted to send the message that "Venice is fighting back, it's not a dead city, it acts in its own interest before tourism's". "We believe Venice can still be a place worth living in," he added. Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, exchanged vows during a ceremony Friday evening on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, opposite St Mark's Square. The ceremony capped off a week of yacht parties and VIP events, due to end with a lavish ball Saturday night -- as Venetians remain divided over the impact on the city's image. Guests included Ivanka Trump, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kim Kardashian, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, American football star Tom Brady, TV host Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates.
Euronews
20 hours ago
- Euronews
Bezos wedding in Venice: court against the exploitation of the city
Saturday marks the last day of celebrations for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez wedding which left Venice divided, estimated at a cost of over €42 million. Following Friday's reception on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, where Bezos and his wife tied the knot during a private ceremony with around 200 celebrity guests including Leonardo DiCaprio, the Kardashian sisters, Tom Brady, Orlando Bloom, Ivanka Trump and Bill Gates. Meanwhile, hundreds of people demonstrated on Saturday through the streets and canals of Venice against the union being celebrated in Venice. The protest organised by the 'No space for Bezos' committee started from Venice's railway station and reached campo Erbaria, at the foot of the Rialto Bridge. Protesters from across north-eastern Italy gathered with inflatables and placards to voice their opposition to the wedding of the Amazon founder and the American journalist. On Saturday, it was also VIP-hunting in Venice, as several guests took the opportunity to visit the city's most iconic landmarks. Demonstrations against Bezos's wedding The protests had already begun in the days leading up to the wedding, as the couple and their guests arrived in the Venetian Lagoon. On Friday night, the eve of the ceremony the message "No kings, no Bezos / f**k oligarchs" was projected onto the bell tower in St Mark's Square. On Wednesday, activists paraded a float along the Grand Canal with a dummy of Bezos clinging to an Amazon box, his fists full of fake dollars. On Monday, the activists joined Greenpeace and the British group 'Everyone Hates Elon', which destroyed Teslas in protest against Elon Musk, and unfurled a large banner in St Mark's Square against tax breaks for billionaires . The banner read: 'If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more taxes'. Why are there protests against Bezos in Venice? Interviewed by Euronews, Marta Sottoriva, organiser of the No Space for Bezos campaign, said that the protest was not against the wedding itself, but against what it symbolises for Venice. "We are not protesting against weddings, but against the vision of Venice as a city where you only come to consume," Sottoriva said. According to the activist, Bezos is a symbol of 'a wealth built on the exploitation of the many', citing Amazon's opposition to unionisation and recalling the billionaire's presence at Donald Trump's presidential inauguration. Initially the newly married couple had planned to celebrate the wedding at the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, but the event was moved due to protests. The three-day event ended with a grand masquerade ball at the historic Arsenale, with performances given by Lady Gaga and Elton John .
