Bezos and Sanchez arrive in Venice for marathon wedding party
Venice City Hall issued a directive on Wednesday cordoning off the area, isolating guests from activists who have been protesting for weeks that the celebrations will turn the city of gondolas and palazzi into a private amusement park for the rich.
'There's only one thing that rules now: money, money, money, so we are the losers,' said Venice resident Nadia Rigo.
'We who were born here have to either move to the mainland or we have to ask them for permission to board a ferry. They've become the masters.'
Amid the criticism, the governor of the Veneto region that comprises Venice said Bezos and Sanchez had donated €3m euros to three local institutions: CORILA, an academic consortium that studies the lagoon ecosystem, UNESCO's local office, and the Venice International University.
'Welcome to Venice, Jeff,' Luca Zaia said in his statement, thanking the couple for their 'gesture of extraordinary generosity'.
The date and venue of the wedding itself are still unknown and some have speculated that Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, may already have tied the knot in a private ceremony in the US.
Most of the estimated 250 guests are expected to arrive in time for the second party, which the source said is slated for Friday on the small island of San Giorgio, in front of the famed St. Mark's Square with its 99m-high bell tower.
San Giorgio island is home to the Cini Foundation, which organises international cultural and political meetings in an ancient monastery dating back to the year 1000, with a maze in the garden.
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The Citizen
31 minutes ago
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Bezos' Venice wedding bash draws stars, style and protests
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The Herald
6 hours ago
- The Herald
Bezos and Sanchez arrive in Venice for marathon wedding party
Venice City Hall issued a directive on Wednesday cordoning off the area, isolating guests from activists who have been protesting for weeks that the celebrations will turn the city of gondolas and palazzi into a private amusement park for the rich. 'There's only one thing that rules now: money, money, money, so we are the losers,' said Venice resident Nadia Rigo. 'We who were born here have to either move to the mainland or we have to ask them for permission to board a ferry. They've become the masters.' Amid the criticism, the governor of the Veneto region that comprises Venice said Bezos and Sanchez had donated €3m euros to three local institutions: CORILA, an academic consortium that studies the lagoon ecosystem, UNESCO's local office, and the Venice International University. 'Welcome to Venice, Jeff,' Luca Zaia said in his statement, thanking the couple for their 'gesture of extraordinary generosity'. The date and venue of the wedding itself are still unknown and some have speculated that Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, may already have tied the knot in a private ceremony in the US. Most of the estimated 250 guests are expected to arrive in time for the second party, which the source said is slated for Friday on the small island of San Giorgio, in front of the famed St. Mark's Square with its 99m-high bell tower. San Giorgio island is home to the Cini Foundation, which organises international cultural and political meetings in an ancient monastery dating back to the year 1000, with a maze in the garden.
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
Bezos' big day hits snag as Venice protesters plot croc-block surprise
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez having changed their wedding venue after residents threatened to fill the city's canals with inflatable crocodiles Image: XAVIER DUVOT / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP Jeff Bezos has been forced to move his Venice wedding party after protesters threatened to fill the city's canals with inflatable crocodiles to prevent guests from arriving. The Amazon tycoon had been set to hold a party at a 16th century hall in the heart of the Italian city as part of the celebrations for his wedding to Lauren Sanchez this week but the pair are now said to be moving the bash to a more secure location following angry protests by residents who have accused the billionaire of shutting down Venice. Protestor Tommaso Cacciari is quoted by The Times newspaper as saying: "Bezos is on the run – this is a crazy victory for a small group of people with no money who went up against one of the richest men on the planet." Bezos and Sanchez's three-day nuptials are set to be attended by A-listers including reality star Kim Kardashian, talk show host Gayle King and Microsoft boss Bill Gates but various groups have joined forces under the 'No Space for Bezos' banner to protest against the lavish ceremony that they claim epitomises how Venice has lost its soul to tourism. However, the rival group 'Yes Venice Can' – made up of hoteliers, restaurant owners and business associations - is determined to give the 61-year-old businessman and his wife a memorable experience in the city. The group said in a statement: "We cannot allow a noisy minority to discredit the image of this city in the eyes of the world. "We will put on the very best welcome for Bezos, as we always do for those who choose Venice as a holiday destination or as a backdrop to big events. Venice is a city that welcomes people – it doesn't turn them away." Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ "No Space For Bezos" protestors in Venice, Italy. Image: YouTube Activists had protested against the wedding on Monday by unfurling a banner in St Mark's Square that read: "If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax." The demonstration was organised by Greenpeace and the British campaign group Everyone Hates Elon. Greenpeace campaigner Clara Thompson said: "While Venice is sinking under the weight of the climate crisis, billionaires are partying like there is no tomorrow on their mega-yachts. "This isn't just about one person – it's about changing the rules so no billionaire can dodge responsibility, anywhere. "The real issue is a broken system that lets billionaires skip out on taxes while everyone else is left to foot the bill. That's why we need fair, inclusive rules – and they must be written at the UN." AFP
