Wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez moved after Venice protests
It follows weeks of demonstrations and public anger over the billionaire tech founder's plans to turn a popular central nightlife area of the floating city into a private event for the couple's wedding ceremony.
Sources have told the Reuters news agency the decision was taken because of fears of further demonstrations.
Between 200 and 250 VIP guests from show business, politics and finance will now head to a hall of the Arsenale, a vast 14th-century complex in the eastern Castello district.
The wedding is expected to take place between Thursday and Saturday.
The new location is surrounded by water and impossible to reach once connecting bridges are raised.
The original venue was Scuola Grande della Misericordia, a medieval former religious school located in the Cannaregio district.
"The news that Bezos has run away from the Misericordia is a great victory for us," said Tommaso Cacciari, a leader of the "No Space for Bezos" campaign that is leading the anti-wedding front.
The group has vowed to make the event a "nightmare" for attendees, planning more protests on Saturday along Venice's canals, bridges and narrow streets.
But Luca Zaia, president of the Veneto region that comprises the city, has criticised the protests, saying the 90 private jets carrying guests to nearby airports would bring revenue of up to 48 million euros ($85 million) to local businesses.
Among those expected to attend are US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Mr Bezos, 61, executive chair of e-commerce giant Amazon, is ranked number four on Forbes' billionaires list.
He got engaged to Ms Sanchez, 55, in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to Mackenzie Scott.
Reuters
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