Jeff Bezos relocates wedding event amid protests
Activists in Venice are celebrating what they are calling a major win after protests forced Jeff Bezos and his celebrity-studded wedding party to change their celebration plans and relocate away from the city center.
The billionaire Amazon founder is set to marry TV personality Lauren Sanchez this week, with a series of extravagant events spanning several days. The couple's main celebration was initially rumored to take place at the historic Scuola Grande della Misericordia on Saturday, but officials have confirmed that the venue has now been moved to the Arsenale, a location farther from central Venice.
The change comes amid mounting opposition from local activists and environmental campaigners, who view the festivities as emblematic of growing inequality, unsustainable luxury, and the commodification of the city.
The wedding, expected to draw figures such as Kim Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mick Jagger, and members of the Trump family, has drawn widespread criticism for its extravagance. Reports suggest that several hotels have been fully booked for the event, Venice airport is bracing for a surge in private jet landings, and a flotilla of luxury yachts will fill the harbor. Security measures reportedly include ex-US Marines.
Posters reading 'No Space for Bezos' have appeared throughout Venice, while banners have been hung from bridges and plazas. On Monday, members of a group named Everyone Hates Elon unfurled a massive image of Bezos in Piazza San Marco with the message, 'If you can rent Venice for your wedding, then you can pay more tax.'
Despite the protestors' jubilation, not all Venetians support their actions. City councillor Simone Venturini dismissed the protests as 'ridiculous' and insisted that high-profile visitors like Bezos bring economic benefits.
"These protesters behave as if they own Venice but they don't," he said. "No one gets to decide who gets married here." Venturini emphasized that the event was private, limited to 200 invited guests, and held on private property.
Still, activists argue the broader issues remain. Venice continues to grapple with over-tourism, rising living costs, and the growing impact of climate change. While the city has introduced a five-euro daily tax for tourists, critics say the measure has done little to curb mass tourism.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Roya News
7 hours ago
- Roya News
Jeff Bezos relocates wedding event amid protests
Activists in Venice are celebrating what they are calling a major win after protests forced Jeff Bezos and his celebrity-studded wedding party to change their celebration plans and relocate away from the city center. The billionaire Amazon founder is set to marry TV personality Lauren Sanchez this week, with a series of extravagant events spanning several days. The couple's main celebration was initially rumored to take place at the historic Scuola Grande della Misericordia on Saturday, but officials have confirmed that the venue has now been moved to the Arsenale, a location farther from central Venice. The change comes amid mounting opposition from local activists and environmental campaigners, who view the festivities as emblematic of growing inequality, unsustainable luxury, and the commodification of the city. The wedding, expected to draw figures such as Kim Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mick Jagger, and members of the Trump family, has drawn widespread criticism for its extravagance. Reports suggest that several hotels have been fully booked for the event, Venice airport is bracing for a surge in private jet landings, and a flotilla of luxury yachts will fill the harbor. Security measures reportedly include ex-US Marines. Posters reading 'No Space for Bezos' have appeared throughout Venice, while banners have been hung from bridges and plazas. On Monday, members of a group named Everyone Hates Elon unfurled a massive image of Bezos in Piazza San Marco with the message, 'If you can rent Venice for your wedding, then you can pay more tax.' Despite the protestors' jubilation, not all Venetians support their actions. City councillor Simone Venturini dismissed the protests as 'ridiculous' and insisted that high-profile visitors like Bezos bring economic benefits. "These protesters behave as if they own Venice but they don't," he said. "No one gets to decide who gets married here." Venturini emphasized that the event was private, limited to 200 invited guests, and held on private property. Still, activists argue the broader issues remain. Venice continues to grapple with over-tourism, rising living costs, and the growing impact of climate change. While the city has introduced a five-euro daily tax for tourists, critics say the measure has done little to curb mass tourism.
Al Bawaba
20 hours ago
- Al Bawaba
Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom reportedly split ahead of bezos wedding
ALBAWABA - Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry reportedly end relationship after long romance. One of Hollywood's most popular couples appears to have ended their relationship after weeks of rumors. Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry have reportedly announced their separation after almost a decade of dating. According to TMZ, the actor is single and prepared to move on, right before what is expected to be the year's most anticipated wedding ceremony between Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez in Venice, Italy. ELMONT, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 11: Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom (Photo by Noam Galai / Getty Images AFP) Orlando's attendance at the celebrations may mark his official debut as a single man, according to insiders who talked to TMZ. The site stated, "He's the life of the party, and he's going to hit the dance floor hard," implying that Bloom's enthusiasm will be particularly noteworthy after the split was made public. Additionally, the actor reportedly plans to go out and have some fun in Venice with Leonardo DiCaprio. This occurs as rumors regarding his dating status are becoming more widespread. Due to her current "143" tour, his fiancée, Katy Perry, is conspicuously missing from the wedding guest list. However, the singer's absence has only heightened breakup rumors despite work duties. TOPSHOT - English actor Orlando Bloom and his partner US singer Katy Perry (Photo by Geoff Robins / AFP) It appears that the pair may have discreetly called it quits on their engagement after years of high-profile red carpet appearances, love milestones, and the birth of their daughter, Daisy Dove. Fans became aware of the alleged marital issues after hearing rumors that Bloom was unhappy with Perry's recent space voyage, which was made possible by her friendship with Bezos and Sánchez. One insider told the Daily Mail, "He told her the whole thing looked ridiculous." She wished he would be more encouraging. She was obviously hurt. "Imagine traveling to space and your partner isn't impressed," the insider went on. The same source claims that Katy found it "difficult to accept" his attendance at the celebration because she believed the wedding invitation was more for her than for him. British actor Orlando Bloom and US singer/songwriter Katy Perry (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP) The couple had previously put their relationship on hold. They "took a loving, respectful space" in 2017 before getting engaged on Valentine's Day in 2019 to reignite their romance.
Roya News
a day ago
- Roya News
Trump: CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT, PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!
US President Donald Trump declared Tuesday that a ceasefire between Iran and 'Israel' has officially taken hold. 'THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!' Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social. According to Trump, the agreement involves a phased implementation process stretching over 24 hours. Iran was to initiate the first step by suspending its operations starting at approximately 7:00 AM (GMT+3) on Tuesday. Twelve hours later, Israel was expected to reciprocate by halting its military actions. A senior Iranian official confirmed to Reuters that Iran agreed to a US-proposed ceasefire deal with 'Israel', which is Qatari-mediated and was announced by Donald Trump earlier. The report by Reuters adds that Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed Al Thani managed to secure Iran's agreement to the ceasefire proposal during a call with Iranian officials, which took place hours after Iran's attack on the Qatari-hosted American Al Udeid Base. The call came after Trump told Qatar's emir that 'Israel' agreed to the ceasefire, and asked for his help in persuading Iran to agree.
