Venetians say ‘I Don't' to Bezos wedding bash
Venice — Amazon founder and space dreamer Jeff Bezos may soon say 'I do' in one of the world's most romantic cities, but not everyone in Venice is throwing confetti.
Bezos, who is set to marry Lauren Sánchez this week on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, has found himself at the centre of a spirited local protest — with Venetians reminding the billionaire that their historic city isn't just a backdrop for celebrity weddings.
Venice's famously fed-up residents have plastered posters across landmarks like the Rialto Bridge and St Mark's Square with the blunt message: 'No Space for Bezos.'
Environmental group Greenpeace joined the party too — with a giant banner at Piazza San Marco reading: 'If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax.' Their social media post pulled no punches either: 'Jeff Bezos pays poverty wages and dodges tax. No wonder he can afford to shut down half of Venice for his wedding this week. Tax billionaires NOW.'
Meanwhile, the guest list for this star-studded affair reads like a Who's Who of Hollywood and high society: George Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, Ivanka Trump, Barbra Streisand, Kim Kardashian, Robert Pattinson and Suki Waterhouse are all expected to toast the happy couple among Venice's canals.
But while locals grumble about crowds and tax bills, City Hall is rolling out the red carpet. Officials insist Venice is used to big names and even bigger events — from the G7 to the Venice Biennale — and say most Venetians are thrilled their city is once again in the spotlight.
Bezos and Sánchez, for their part, plan to weave local traditions into their nuptials, hoping a splash of Venetian culture might smooth over any protest drama.
One thing's for sure: in a city already overrun by tourists, even a wedding can become a battle cry — especially when the groom is worth more than US$200bn.
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Muscat Daily
15 hours ago
- Muscat Daily
Venetians say ‘I Don't' to Bezos wedding bash
Venice — Amazon founder and space dreamer Jeff Bezos may soon say 'I do' in one of the world's most romantic cities, but not everyone in Venice is throwing confetti. Bezos, who is set to marry Lauren Sánchez this week on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, has found himself at the centre of a spirited local protest — with Venetians reminding the billionaire that their historic city isn't just a backdrop for celebrity weddings. Venice's famously fed-up residents have plastered posters across landmarks like the Rialto Bridge and St Mark's Square with the blunt message: 'No Space for Bezos.' Environmental group Greenpeace joined the party too — with a giant banner at Piazza San Marco reading: 'If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax.' Their social media post pulled no punches either: 'Jeff Bezos pays poverty wages and dodges tax. No wonder he can afford to shut down half of Venice for his wedding this week. Tax billionaires NOW.' Meanwhile, the guest list for this star-studded affair reads like a Who's Who of Hollywood and high society: George Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, Ivanka Trump, Barbra Streisand, Kim Kardashian, Robert Pattinson and Suki Waterhouse are all expected to toast the happy couple among Venice's canals. But while locals grumble about crowds and tax bills, City Hall is rolling out the red carpet. Officials insist Venice is used to big names and even bigger events — from the G7 to the Venice Biennale — and say most Venetians are thrilled their city is once again in the spotlight. Bezos and Sánchez, for their part, plan to weave local traditions into their nuptials, hoping a splash of Venetian culture might smooth over any protest drama. One thing's for sure: in a city already overrun by tourists, even a wedding can become a battle cry — especially when the groom is worth more than US$200bn.
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16 hours ago
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Bezos wedding in Venice draws Greenpeace protest
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