“No Bezos”: Venetian activists protest billionaire’s wedding in historic city
Local activists in Venice have launched a protest campaign against the upcoming wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, scheduled to take place in the city later this month, Kazinform News Agency reports.
The campaign, titled No Room for Bezos, began in March following confirmation from Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro that the couple would hold their ceremony in the city. Activists have distributed flyers, posted signs, and held public demonstrations opposing the event.
Opponents argue that the high-profile wedding strains the city’s infrastructure and tourism burden. In turn, city officials believe the event could bring financial benefits, estimating the cost of the wedding at nearly €10 million.
“There’s a lot of anger in the air because once again the council has enslaved itself to the logic of profit – our city has been sold to the highest bidder. Every time an event of this kind happens, the city comes to a standstill, certain areas become inaccessible and even more tourists arrive. This wedding really is the symbol of all that is wrong with Venice,” local teacher and leader of the protest, Marta Sottoriva, said.
Details of the wedding remain confidential. According to local reports, festivities are scheduled from June 24 to 26, while the ceremony itself is rumored to take place on June 28.
Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez was aboard the Blue Origin flight with the first all-female crew that traveled to the edge of space back in April.
