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Canada News.Net
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Canada News.Net
Hundreds in Venice protest over Bezos wedding extravaganza
VENICE, Italy: Over the weekend, hundreds of protesters marched through the narrow streets of Venice to voice their opposition to billionaire Jeff Bezos, his new wife Lauren Sánchez, and their lavish three-day wedding celebration. The couple was married on June 27 in a private ceremony on the secluded island of San Giorgio, attended by about 200 celebrity guests. While the event drew global attention, it angered many Venetians. Activists accused Bezos of using the city to display wealth, while local residents continue to struggle with problems like overtourism, rising housing costs, and increasing flood risks due to climate change. On the final day of the festivities, protesters from across Italy joined locals in Venice, waving signs that read "Kisses Yes, Bezos No" and "No Bezos, No War." With only about 50,000 residents, Venice has long faced pressure from massive tourism. "We're here to disrupt the plans of the rich, who make their fortunes at the expense of others, while this city remains in crisis," said protester Martina Vergnano. Demonstrators claimed their protest led to a change in party venue—from the original site to the Arsenale, a historic shipyard. Bezos donated 1 million euros each to three environmental groups working in Venice, according to Corila, a local research association. However, activists dismissed the donations as a public relations move. "We want a Venice that belongs to its people," said Flavio Cogo, a local activist. "These donations are crumbs meant to ease Bezos' conscience." The wedding itself remained secretive until Sánchez posted a photo on Instagram, smiling in a white gown beside Bezos in a tuxedo. The guest list was packed with celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Tom Brady, Leonardo DiCaprio, Orlando Bloom, Bill Gates, and the Kardashian-Jenner family. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner also attended. The couple stayed at the luxury Aman Venice hotel on the Grand Canal. Photos showed Sánchez blowing kisses to reporters, while Bezos posed for the cameras. One protest sign mocked the excess: "The planet is burning but don't worry, here's the list of the 27 dresses of Lauren Sánchez." Despite the backlash, Venice's city officials defended the event, saying it fits with the city's long history as a welcoming place for everyone, from emperors to everyday tourists.
Mint
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Jeff Bezos needed a Tequila fix—Venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya sent a plane FULL of it to Venice
The Jeff Bezos-Lauren Sanchez wedding gained an extra splash of luxury thanks to Chamath Palihapitiya, the Canadian-American venture capitalist. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday (June 29), Palihapitiya revealed Amazon founder Bezos requested a last-minute shipment of ultra-premium tequila. 'I sent my plane with a case of our tequila to Venice as a wedding present,' Palihapitiya wrote. The brand, newly launched June 21 in Los Angeles, retails for $1,200 per bottle and features bottles shaped like poker chips. The limited edition sold out within hours. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez capped a star-studded, three-day wedding celebration in Venice that drew global headlines—not only for its celebrity guest list but also for sparking protests over wealth and environmental concerns. Jeff Bezos, 61, world's fourth-richest man, married former news anchor Lauren Sanchez, 55, in a private ceremony on Friday (June 27) inside a 16th-century basilica on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. The festivities began on Thursday with a welcome event at Madonna dell'Orto, continued with Friday's formal vows, and concluded on Saturday night with a dance party headlined by Usher. About 200 VIP guests attended, including Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kim Kardashian, Orlando Bloom, Bill Gates, Tom Brady, Ivanka Trump, and the Kardashian-Jenner family. While celebrities gathered for the opulent celebration, hundreds of Venetians and activists marched through the city's narrow streets carrying banners reading 'Kisses Yes, Bezos No' and 'No Bezos, No War.' Protesters condemned the wedding as a symbol of the deepening divide between the wealthy elite and ordinary residents grappling with skyrocketing housing costs, overtourism, and the threat of climate-driven flooding. Organisers claimed a partial victory when security concerns prompted a last-minute change of venue for the final party—from central Venice to the medieval Arsenale shipyard. Bezos donated €1 million ($1.17 million) each to three environmental research organisations working to protect Venice's fragile lagoon. The Venetian association Corila confirmed the donations. However, protesters dismissed the gesture as an attempt to 'appease angry residents.' Bezos and Sanchez confirmed their engagement in May 2023, several years after going public with their relationship. Their wedding capped a whirlwind romance sealed in one of Europe's most iconic cities, amid both lavish celebration and criticism.
1News
29-06-2025
- Business
- 1News
Protesters fill Venice's streets on final day of Bezos' wedding parties
Hundreds of protesters marched through Venice's central streets today to say 'No' to billionaire Jeff Bezos, his bride and their much-awaited wedding extravaganza, which reached its third and final day amid celebrity-crowded parties and the outcries of tired residents. On Friday (local time), the world's fourth-richest man and his bride Lauren Sanchez Bezos tied the knot during a private ceremony with around 200 celebrity guests on the secluded island of San Giorgio. The wedding, however, angered many Venetians, with some activists protesting it as an exploitation of the city by the billionaire Bezos, while ordinary residents suffer from over tourism, high housing costs and the constant threat of climate-induced flooding. As the two newlyweds prepared for the final party Saturday evening (local time), hundreds of Venetians and protesters from across Italy filled Venice's tiny streets with colourful banners reading 'Kisses Yes, Bezos No' and 'No Bezos, no War'. Venice has around 50,000 residents. The demonstration contrasted with the expensive wedding bonanza, seen by critics as an affront to the lagoon city's fragile environment and its citizens, overwhelmed by throngs of tourists. ADVERTISEMENT 'We are here to continue ruining the plans of these rich people, who accumulate money by exploiting many other people … while the conditions of this city remain precarious,' said Martina Vergnano, one of the demonstrators. The protest organizers claimed that their planned protest had forced the relocation of Saturday's party (local time) from a supposed initial location to a former medieval shipyard, the Arsenale. Bezos donated 1 million euros (NZ$1.93 million) each to three environmental research organizations working to preserve Venice, according to Corila, the Venetian environmental research association. But many protesters blasted the move as a clear attempt to appease angry residents. 'We want a free Venice, which is finally dedicated to its citizens. … Those donations are just a misery and only aimed at clearing Bezos' conscience,' said Flavio Cogo, a Venetian activist who joined Saturday's protest (local time). Details of the exclusive wedding ceremony Friday night (local time) were a closely guarded secret, until Sánchez Bezos posted to Instagram a photo of herself beaming in a white gown as she stood alongside a tuxedo-clad Bezos. Athletes, celebrities, influencers and business leaders converged to revel in extravagance that was as much a testament to the couple's love as to their extraordinary wealth. ADVERTISEMENT The star-studded guest list included Oprah Winfrey and NFL great Tom Brady, along with Hollywood stars Leonardo Di Caprio and Orlando Bloom, tech entrepreneur and philanthropist Bill Gates and top socialites, including the Kardashian-Jenner clan. Ivanka Trump, her husband Jared Kushner and their three children also joined the celebrations. The bride and groom stayed at the Aman Venice hotel on the Grand Canal, where Bezos posed for photos and Sanchez Bezos blew kisses to the press. 'The planet is burning but don't worry, here's the list of the 27 dresses of Lauren Sánchez,' read one protest slogan, a reference to the bride's reported wedding weekend wardrobe. It featured a mermaid-lined wedding gown by Dolce & Gabbana and other Dolce Vita-inspired looks by Italian designers, including Schiaparelli and Bottega Veneta. The city administration has strongly defended the nuptials as in keeping with Venice's tradition as an open city that has welcomed popes, emperors and ordinary visitors alike for centuries.
New Indian Express
29-06-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
‘Kisses Yes, Bezos No': Venice fumes as billionaire's lavish wedding disrupts city
VENICE: Hundreds of protesters marched through Venice's central streets on Saturday to say 'No' to billionaire Jeff Bezos, his bride and their much-awaited wedding extravaganza, which reached its third and final day amid celebrity-crowded parties and the outcries of tired residents. On Friday, the world's fourth-richest man and his bride Lauren Sanchez Bezos tied the knot during a private ceremony with around 200 celebrity guests on the secluded island of San Giorgio. The wedding, however, angered many Venetians, with some activists protesting it as an exploitation of the city by the billionaire Bezos, while ordinary residents suffer from overtourism, high housing costs and the constant threat of climate-induced flooding. As the two newlyweds prepared for the final party Saturday evening, hundreds of Venetians and protesters from across Italy filled Venice's tiny streets with colorful banners reading 'Kisses Yes, Bezos No' and 'No Bezos, no War.' Venice has around 50,000 residents. The demonstration contrasted with the expensive wedding bonanza, seen by critics as an affront to the lagoon city's fragile environment and its citizens, overwhelmed by throngs of tourists. 'We are here to continue ruining the plans of these rich people, who accumulate money by exploiting many other people … while the conditions of this city remain precarious,' said Martina Vergnano, one of the demonstrators. The protest organizers claimed that their planned protest had forced the relocation of Saturday's party from a supposed initial location to a former medieval shipyard, the Arsenale. Bezos donated 1 million euros ($1.17 million) each to three environmental research organizations working to preserve Venice, according to Corila, the Venetian environmental research association. But many protesters blasted the move as a clear attempt to appease angry residents. 'We want a free Venice, which is finally dedicated to its citizens. … Those donations are just a misery and only aimed at clearing Bezos' conscience,' said Flavio Cogo, a Venetian activist who joined Saturday's protest. Details of the exclusive wedding ceremony Friday night were a closely guarded secret, until Sánchez Bezos posted to Instagram a photo of herself beaming in a white gown as she stood alongside a tuxedo-clad Bezos. Athletes, celebrities, influencers and business leaders converged to revel in extravagance that was as much a testament to the couple's love as to their extraordinary wealth. The star-studded guest list included Oprah Winfrey and NFL great Tom Brady, along with Hollywood stars Leonardo Di Caprio and Orlando Bloom, tech entrepreneur and philanthropist Bill Gates and top socialites, including the Kardashian-Jenner clan. Ivanka Trump, her husband Jared Kushner and their three children also joined the celebrations. The bride and groom stayed at the Aman Venice hotel on the Grand Canal, where Bezos posed for photos and Sanchez Bezos blew kisses to the press. 'The planet is burning but don't worry, here's the list of the 27 dresses of Lauren Sánchez,' read one protest slogan, a reference to the bride's reported wedding weekend wardrobe. It featured a mermaid-lined wedding gown by Dolce & Gabbana and other Dolce Vita-inspired looks by Italian designers, including Schiaparelli and Bottega Veneta. The city administration has strongly defended the nuptials as in keeping with Venice's tradition as an open city that has welcomed popes, emperors and ordinary visitors alike for centuries.
Indian Express
29-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
‘Kisses yes, Bezos No,' protesters say, as Amazon founder's wedding bonanza stirs controversy in Venice
Hundreds of protesters marched through Venice's central streets on Saturday to say 'No' to billionaire Jeff Bezos, his bride and their much-awaited wedding extravaganza, which reached its third and final day amid celebrity-crowded parties and the outcries of tired residents. On Friday, the world's fourth-richest man and his bride Lauren Sanchez Bezos tied the knot during a private ceremony with around 200 celebrity guests on the secluded island of San Giorgio. The wedding, however, angered many Venetians, with some activists protesting it as an exploitation of the city by the billionaire Bezos, while ordinary residents suffer from overtourism, high housing costs and the constant threat of climate-induced flooding. As the two newlyweds prepared for the final party Saturday evening, hundreds of Venetians and protesters from across Italy filled Venice's tiny streets with colorful banners reading 'Kisses Yes, Bezos No' and 'No Bezos, no War.' Venice has around 50,000 residents. The demonstration contrasted with the expensive wedding bonanza, seen by critics as an affront to the lagoon city's fragile environment and its citizens, overwhelmed by throngs of tourists. 'We are here to continue ruining the plans of these rich people, who accumulate money by exploiting many other people … while the conditions of this city remain precarious,' said Martina Vergnano, one of the demonstrators. The protest organizers claimed that their planned protest had forced the relocation of Saturday's party from a supposed initial location to a former medieval shipyard, the Arsenale. Bezos donated 1 million euros ($1.17 million) each to three environmental research organizations working to preserve Venice, according to Corila, the Venetian environmental research association. But many protesters blasted the move as a clear attempt to appease angry residents. 'We want a free Venice, which is finally dedicated to its citizens. … Those donations are just a misery and only aimed at clearing Bezos' conscience,' said Flavio Cogo, a Venetian activist who joined Saturday's protest. Details of the exclusive wedding ceremony Friday night were a closely guarded secret, until Sánchez Bezos posted to Instagram a photo of herself beaming in a white gown as she stood alongside a tuxedo-clad Bezos. Athletes, celebrities, influencers and business leaders converged to revel in extravagance that was as much a testament to the couple's love as to their extraordinary wealth. The star-studded guest list included Oprah Winfrey and NFL great Tom Brady, along with Hollywood stars Leonardo Di Caprio and Orlando Bloom, tech entrepreneur and philanthropist Bill Gates and top socialites, including the Kardashian-Jenner clan. Ivanka Trump, her husband Jared Kushner and their three children also joined the celebrations. The bride and groom stayed at the Aman Venice hotel on the Grand Canal, where Bezos posed for photos and Sanchez Bezos blew kisses to the press. 'The planet is burning but don't worry, here's the list of the 27 dresses of Lauren Sánchez,' read one protest slogan, a reference to the bride's reported wedding weekend wardrobe. It featured a mermaid-lined wedding gown by Dolce & Gabbana and other Dolce Vita-inspired looks by Italian designers, including Schiaparelli and Bottega Veneta. The city administration has strongly defended the nuptials as in keeping with Venice's tradition as an open city that has welcomed popes, emperors and ordinary visitors alike for centuries.
