EXCLUSIVE Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's star-studded Italian wedding threatened by furious protesters in Venice
Jeff Bezos and 's extravagant Italian wedding is still weeks away - yet it's already rocking the boat in Venice, where furious locals say their home is being 'held hostage' by the 'richest and most dangerous man in the world.'
The couple's highly-anticipated nuptials are set to take place the weekend of June 24 in the Floating City, much to the frustration of Venetians who have accused the billionaire of turning their home into a 'playground' for the ultra-wealthy - and are now planning protests to push back.
The Amazon founder, 61, is reportedly taking over the island of San Giorgio Maggiore for the wedding day itself, fully booking up five luxury hotels and every water taxi in Venice.
A-list celebrities, politicians, and business leaders are expected to attend, which will mean beefed-up security, closed streets and airspace, and a strong police presence, just as Venice's peak tourist season gets underway.
With an eye-popping price tag of $10million and a star-studded guest list that includes the Kardashians, actress Eva Longoria, and pop star Katy Perry - who all attended Sanchez's bachelorette party in Paris earlier this month - the wedding promises to opulence on overdrive.
While President Donald Trump isn't expected to make an appearance, his children Ivanka and Don Jr are set to attend with their respective partners, husband Jared Kushner and new girlfriend Bettina Anderson.
Guests are likely to land at nearby airports in gas-guzzling private planes - Bezos owns four Gulfstream jets - although the 61-year-old can't dock his $500million superyacht Koru as it's too big to anchor anywhere close to Venice.
The massive carbon footprint of Bezos and his loaded guests will irk locals further, as Venice is blighted with polluted canals and mass tourism is destroying the fragile lagoon the city sits in.
The Laboratorio Occupato Morion - a self-described 'anti-fascist, anti-capitalist, anti-racist and trans-feminist political space' - is already planning on hosting a protest event in the city on Friday at its social center, a short walk from the historic St. Mark's Square.
The group has already begun advertising the protest online - sharing a flyer with an image of Bezos' head atop a rocket alongside the slogan: 'No space for Bezos, No space for oligarchs!'
'Jeff Bezos thinks he can buy the entire city - let's throw him a party!', the flyer reads, alongside details of Friday's demonstration.
A lengthy adjoining caption reads : 'Venice is transformed into yet another playground for billionaires, while those who live it every day are left with discomfort, exclusion and precariousness.'
It further adds: 'From the Security Decree, to the right to work and home, to the refusal of a city being shut down and mercified to celebrate the wedding of one of the most influential, richest – and most dangerous – men on the planet.
'There's no room for oligarchs, their private parties and their dirty money.
'See you on Friday 30th of May at Morion to exchange ideas, reflections, discuss and organize together about the hospitality we want to reserve for those who think they can make this city and the whole world what they want.'
Laboratorio Occupato Morion spokesperson Alice Bazzoli told DailyMail.com that the event is just the start and will culminate in a 'big demonstration' on the actual wedding day.
'Tomorrow will mark the first public assembly, an open call to citizens, grassroots movements, and associations to organize demonstrations during Jeff Bezos' stay in Venice for his luxurious wedding,' she said.
'We plan to have lots of different small actions in the week before the wedding and to converge in a big demonstration on the day of the wedding.
'During this period, the city will be held hostage by one of the world's richest men, becoming heavily militarized and deprived of its spaces and services. Bezos has rented an entire island, numerous hotels, taxis, and services to host his party and guests.
'This will exacerbate the already problematic movement around the city, particularly with the onset of the tourist season.
'Some areas will be inaccessible or heavily controlled, while the influx of tourists, journalists, wedding staff, and police will further strain the city.
'We cannot accept the presence of such a character in our city, which has a strong anti-fascist tradition, and rejects oligarchs who support authoritarian governments, such as Trump's USA.
'Bezos embodies what this city and global movements have been fighting against for decades - a financial and technological oligarchy that exploits workers, the planet, and controls entire territories and populations.'
The group is already furious with the city's mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, who is under investigation for corruption for multi-million euro kickbacks from favored developers, which has resulted in one top official going to jail.
Laboratorio Occupato Morion spokesperson Alice Bazzoli (pictured) told DailyMail.com that Friday's protest will culminate in a 'big demonstration' on the actual wedding day
Last month, Brugnaro confirmed the Bezos wedding would be in Venice, adding: 'We are mutually working and supporting the organizers, to ensure that the event will be absolutely respectful of the fragility and uniqueness of the city.'
But Bazzoli says Brugnaro's words are hot air - and that he's sold the city out to Bezos.
She adds: 'We aim to create a space for discussion and action, which we feel is urgently needed.
'Everyone in Venice, from locals to entrepreneurs, university students, and families, is discussing the event, and outrage is widespread, particularly towards our administration, led by Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, who is currently on trial for corruption.
'He has sold parts of the city to investors linked to his private interests, just as he did with Bezos.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
‘You just knew' – Scott McTominay's first coach reveals where Man Utd went wrong with ‘special player'
SCOTT McTOMINAY was discarded by Manchester United but has stolen the heart of Naples. Named Serie A player of the year, the Scot fired Antonio Conte 's men to the Scudetto and earned a place in Neapolitan folklore alongside the great Diego Maradona. 9 9 9 9 And the midfielder celebrated in serious fashion — smoking, dancing and knocking back Scotch straight from the bottle during Napoli 's trophy parade. He was even granted an audience with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican and his new-found celebrity status is richly deserved, too. McTominay, signed for £25million from Old Trafford on deadline day last summer, bagged 12 goals and the Serie A Most Valuable Player gong in a stellar season. The 28-year-old got the title party started on their final day of the season with a stunning scissor-kick finish against Cagliari. While United needed to flog the academy product for financial reasons, McTominay was also ready for a new challenge. At Napoli, he found a boss in Conte who sees him as the heart of a side, rather than someone who can fill gaps here and there. Conte's faith brought the best out of the Scot — who is on national team duty next week for friendlies with Iceland and Liechtenstein — and his exploits in Italy have surprised many back home. Though those who worked with him early on were so confident he would hit these heights, they kept mementoes from day one. 9 9 Charlie Jackson, founder of Matrix Soccer Academy, was McTominay's first coach at United when he joined as a five-year-old. He told SunSport: 'There were no video phones in those days but I wish we could have filmed him as you'd have seen a special player. Scott McTominay dances with old fan while puffing on cigarette as never-ending Napoli title party continues 'I've got his first shirt, his first training shirt and his first football — that we've got in a glass case — because you knew. You just knew.' Jackson, who also aided the development of Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton and Fulham left-back Antonee Robinson, added: 'He was tenacious, he wanted to learn. 'We'd spend maybe 1½ hours on a session and he'd spend another 20 minutes afterwards, wanting to master what he'd just done. 'I'd have to have another few kids to do a drill and do the same thing again with him because he just wanted to get it. 'It's rare you see that in a child that age.' McTominay was never fully utilised by successive United managers after being handed his Red Devils debut by Jose Mourinho in 2017. Jackson explained: 'Jose was just fantastic for him. Gave him his debut, looked after him. 'Scott always works off confidence and a pat on the back. If you believe in him, he'll run over coals for you. Conte's done that. Mourinho did that as well.' 9 9 McTominay almost did not sign for Napoli, who were very close to landing Marco Brescianini until a late change. How glad they must be McTominay was their pick. Fans have donned kilts in his honour and a Maradona-style mural popped up on the streets of Naples. Everyone has been won over, with Italian sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport hailing him as 'the highlander who came from Manchester to tear our championship apart' and 'the symbol of the Scudetto'. There will certainly be some red faces in Manchester, seeing one of their own go on to this success. After a season of watching players lacking character and fight, and finishing a dismal 15th in the Prem, McTominay is exactly the sort of player they need. Earlier this season, former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer shared his amazement by saying: 'How you can sell Scott is beyond me.' The biggest fear in Manchester is this might only be the start. Jackson, who keeps in touch with McTominay, added: 'The best is yet to come for him. I don't think you've seen anything yet. 'I used to say to his dad Frank, 'He'll never be looked at as world class and it's a shame but he should be because he is'. 'He had success with Man United but to go and do what he's now done . . . and there is much, much more to come. 'That's the biggest thing that I can say about him — it's just the tip of the iceberg, honestly.' 9
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Gemma Collins, Davina McCall and Jessie Wallace lead stars at DJ Fat Tony's wedding to Stavros Agapiou
GEMMA Collins, Davina McCall and Jessie Wallace led the stars at DJ Fat Tony's wedding to Stavros Agapiou today. The glamorous event took place at the iconic Welsh Chapel in Charing Cross, London, where the couple exchanged vows before a glittering crowd of celebrity friends. 11 11 11 The lavish celebration continued at the Londoner Hotel, drawing an eclectic mix of famous faces from reality TV, soap operas, and music. Bridesmaid Gemma, who The Sun revealed is a bridesmaid alongside Kate Moss and Claire Sweeney, arrived alongside her fiancé Rami and his son Tristan, six. She turned heads in a mint green dress with an eye-catching leopard-print bag. Davina, glowing in a vibrant orange minidress, attended with her partner Michael Douglas, while EastEnders legend Jessie stunned in a pink off-the-shoulder number. She posed with her co-star Jaime Winstone outside the venue, who looked trendy in a turqiouse minidress. Tony, 58, real name Tony Marnach, was sharp in a sleek black suit accented with a silver brooch. He was joined by his longtime friend Boy George, who served as best man and sported his trademark quirky style, complete with a patterned black shirt, white blazer, and blue bowler hat. Stavros, 32, made a striking appearance in all white, from blazer to distinctive shorts, complementing Tony perfectly. Tony's mother, Dawn, elegant in black, accompanied by George as they descended the chapel steps together ahead of the night's festivities, which featured a special performance from pop legend Kylie Minogue. Other notable guests included Coronation Street 's Claire, who brought her son Jaxon dressed sharply in a tuxedo and red bow tie. DJ Fat Tony reveals brutal facial injuries after 'being knocked out at gig and rushed to hospital' Kelly Osbourne showed up in a sleek black dress alongside her Slipknot star husband Sid Wilson. Elton John 's husband David Furnish was also present, dressed dapper in a cream jacket. The morning of the wedding saw George getting ready alongside Claire and her son at the hotel, with Claire sharing glamorous moments on Instagram. star Tanya Bardsley made her way to the venue in style, documenting her journey with her husband Phil. Alison Hammond and Jedward had also been expected at the ceremony. A source told us this week: 'Tony is one of the most popular people on the London celebrity circuit and his wedding is going to be packed full of stars. 'No one had Kate, Gemma and Claire in a bridal party on their bingo cards this year, though. It's going to be incredible to see them lining up together. 'Tony and Stavros have put a lot of thought into their big day and it's going to be one to remember. 'As for having Kylie singing at their evening do, it's iconic. 'They couldn't be happier about saying their vows in front of the people they love most. Tony's dog is also going to have a role in their big day, which is very sweet. 'Their wedding photos will go down in history.' Tony previously opened up about his nuptials and the couple's poignant choice of church, which honours people he knew who died of HIV and AIDS in the Eighties and Nineties. He said: 'There's a church in Earl's Court. When we died of AIDS, no one else would touch us because they didn't want to bury us into the ground. 'We weren't allowed to be buried. We had to be burned. 'This church was the only place that had love and compassion for our community. 'I want to get married there because, for me, it's full circle. It's for everybody that didn't make it to that point.' Tony also said he wanted Bronski Beat's Jimmy Somerville to sing Smalltown Boy at the venue, about a gay youngster not being accepted by his family. He added: 'I asked him many years ago and he said yes.' 11 11 11 11 11 11
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Inter Milan's outclassed old men left to mourn the death of a Champions League dream
Reach a certain age and it isn't uncommon to develop a greater interest in history. Inter Milan 's old-timers made it: the heaviest defeat ever in a European Cup or Champions League final, a rout still greater than the spectacular scorelines in 1960, 1974, 1989 and 1994, a thrashing that removed two of AC Milan's routs from the record books. This was a performance that will echo through the ages. Not by them, however, but to them. Inter conceded three goals to teenagers, Desire Doue's double followed by the historic fifth from Senny Mayulu. Inter are old. It isn't a secret. Barcelona and Bayern Munich probably noticed it, and Arsenal and Manchester City before them. Yet only Paris Saint-Germain succeeded in making them look old. The newest champions of Europe won a generation game so emphatically and dramatically it felt like a case of elder abuse. In a Champions League final of opposites – European Cup winners in the 1960s against the club not founded until 1970, bargain buys against big spenders, old against young – the team built for the future discovered their time is now. The side trying to resist the passing of time were overwhelmed by the waves of Parisian attacks. The biggest game of their lives proved one of the worst. It finished with them stood, heads bowed, in front of an emptying away end. Their throwback campaign ended with Inter dominated and demoralised. No one else had done this to them, to the obdurate old-timers. Their only defeat in 14 European games this season had come to Bayer Leverkusen. Go on consistency of results in Europe and group-stage finish and they might have been deemed favourites. Yet PSG 's 2025 surge has shown a team on the rise, a side imbued with talent and explosiveness. Then there was Inter, carrying the hopes of everyone who is desperate for their best days to not be confined to the past. On average this side was 30 years and 19 days old, more than a decade the senior of Doue. A man born after the 2005 Champions League final struck twice in the 2025 showpiece. He was a symbolic scorer. PSG showed the merits of youth and pace. Inter were outnumbered on the flanks, overpowered in midfield. There was room behind their defence, outside it, anywhere and everywhere. It was not a day to espouse the merits of the 3-5-2 formation. Not when Inter seemed to have fewer players in every part of the pitch. That is what speed can do. Inter's positional sense proved no asset when subjected to an assault. They were scythed apart by a team too slick and quick for them. PSG made their trademark fast start; they have scored in the first dozen minutes against each of Liverpool, Aston Villa, Arsenal and Inter in the knockout stages. But they sustained it, too. Behind for only 16 minutes in the Champions League, Inter trailed after 12 and were two down after 20, five adrift after 90. If their strategy was to use their experience to stay in the game, it was destroyed by the relentlessness of PSG's running, by the elusiveness of Doue and Ousmane Dembele, by the combination of confidence and class. And, not least, by Vitinha's capacity to play penetrative forward passes with deceptive ease. One brought Doue's second goal. Another produced PSG's first. The scorer, Achraf Hakimi, was one of the players Inter sold in the cost-cutting as Steven Zhang's ownership unravelled, as Antonio Conte's spending spree required a return. And yet, four years later, those past financial problems bit Inter, courtesy of a club whose budget can seem limitless. Hakimi was apologetic; PSG's later celebrations were far more emphatic. In fairness, Denzel Dumfries, Hakimi's replacement, was a rarity in bringing dynamism to this Inter team. Yet Inter's wing-backs are often a strength; PSG used the space behind them to turn them into a weakness. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the more charismatic of dribblers, ran at Dumfries. PSG had still more joy on the opposite flank, helped by the ability to transfer the ball from one wing to another. And this was a disaster for Federico Dimarco, the Interista; he has a Scudetto tattoo, but he may never need a Champions League one. Hakimi escaped behind him for the first goal; he deflected in Doue's shot for the second. Perhaps it didn't help Dimarco that the left of Inter's midfield trio was 36-year-old Henrikh Mkhitaryan, a player so old he was born behind the Iron Curtain. But still younger than Francesco Acerbi, who was down on his haunches after Kvaratskhelia made it four. A 37-year-old required protection but Inter were ragged, wretched. It seemed a belated recognition of their problems when manager Simone Inzaghi's first changes were to bring on players aged 23 and 24 yet the latter, Yann Bisseck, was promptly hamstrung. Inzaghi was dressed, as ever, like a minor character from The Sopranos at a funeral. As Inter unravelled, he could mourn the death of a dream.
