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The Guardian
19 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
‘Venice is worn out': locals see Jeff Bezos wedding as symbol of city's ills
Marta Sottoriva, a teacher in Venice, has tirelessly campaigned for various causes in her cherished lagoon city, from railing against giant cruise ships to battling soaring rents. Now she is busy preparing banners, handing out flyers and shouting through megaphones in squares as she joins dozens of activists in whipping up resistance to the 'umpteenth gigantic event' she says that risks turning the world heritage site – which has long suffered from the effects of excessive tourism – into a playground for the rich. Sottoriva is referring to the star-studded nuptials between the billionaire Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, and Lauren Sánchez, a former TV journalist. The days-long shindig, expected to begin from 24 June, will be the biggest wedding held in Venice since George Clooney married Amal Alamuddin in 2014. While Venice residents mostly embraced the Clooneys' fairytale big day, the Bezos wedding has been met with much more antipathy. As soon as Venice's millionaire mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, confirmed in March that the couple would be getting married in the city, activists mobilised their 'No space for Bezos' campaign. Posters featuring an image of Bezos's head on a rocket blasting into space – in reference to his Blue Origin space tourism venture – have appeared across the city. The campaigners have also been spreading the word by handing out flyers at various traditional Italian food festivals, known as sagre, and hosting public meetings. Their boldest pre-wedding stunt so far was to erect a banner reading 'No Bezos' on the bell tower of San Giorgio basilica on the Venetian island of the same name, where the couple are rumoured to be exchanging their vows. 'There's a lot of anger in the air because once again the council has enslaved itself to the logic of profit – our city has been sold to the highest bidder,' Sottoriva said. 'Every time an event of this kind happens, the city comes to a standstill, certain areas become inaccessible and even more tourists arrive. This wedding really is the symbol of all that is wrong with Venice.' The details of the nuptials are top secret, with Brugnaro's council feeding the ire by not even confirming the precise dates. The festivities are scheduled for 24-26 June, although some say the wedding itself will not be held until 28 June. Despite the scant information, for months the Italian press has been filled with hearsay about everything from the 200 guests – notably Kim Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio, Oprah Winfrey and Ivanka Trump – and their €9,000-a-night hotel rooms, to the contingent booking out the entire water taxi fleet and the many designer dresses the bride will wear during the celebrations. While the city's leaders are fully embracing the merriment and, moreover, the riches they claim the festivities – rumoured to be costing £8.4m – will bring to the city, their political rivals argue that the event will not benefit ordinary Venetians in the slightest. 'This wedding is causing much friction, especially because it is happening at a time when Venice, already invaded by uncontrolled tourism, is completely worn out,' said Giovanni Andrea Martini, a councillor for the opposition. To make up for it, Martini would like Bezos, the world's third-richest person, to help address the affordable housing shortage by donating money towards restoring the more than 1,000 council homes that lie abandoned. Brugnaro has insisted the wedding will not bring any inconvenience to the city and has condemned the anti-Bezos campaigners as 'shameful'. Sign up to Headlines Europe A digest of the morning's main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day after newsletter promotion Sottoriva says the issue is not necessarily the people getting married per se, although she admits that Bezos's association with Donald Trump and Amazon's record on workers' rights does not bode well. Simone Venturini, Venice's councillor for tourism, said he struggled to grasp why anyone would consider a private event of this kind to be stressful or harmful for the city. 'Venice has already hosted more complex and impactful events,' he said. 'Is it perhaps a fault that Venice is the most beautiful city in the world? 'We should all be proud that the Bezos wedding, an event of international importance, is being held in the waters of our lagoon. Instead, the usual protest professionals have wasted no time. We want to reiterate that Venice is open to everyone.' Marco Gasparinetti, another Venice councillor, said he could understand some of the angst but warned against believing everything the newspapers were writing. 'This story about all the water taxis being booked out is not true,' he said. Whether or not the wedding causes mayhem in the city all depends on where it is held, he added. 'If, as they say, it's on San Giorgio then this would not create any inconvenience – the island has already hosted big events such as the G7 in total security and so it is the perfect location.' Regardless of the exact wedding venue, Sottoriva and her counterparts have no plans to tone down their campaign. 'We're planning a big demonstration on the day of the wedding,' she said. 'Watch this space.'
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
‘No space for Bezos': Venice locals protest billionaire wedding with banners and backlash
ROME, June 14 — Residents of Venice, already fed up with crowds of tourists cramming into their canal city, now have one more gripe: Jeff Bezos. The billionaire Amazon founder is due to marry journalist Lauren Sanchez in a celebration in Venice from June 24 to 26 that is expected to attract countless VIPs. Not everyone is feeling the love though, with some residents hanging a huge banner with an X over Bezos's name on a belltower overlooking the Venice lagoon before the sign was removed on Thursday. 'He's not welcome, not in Venice, not anywhere!' wrote the 'No Space for Bezos' collective on Facebook, which was responsible for the banner. Bezos is also the owner of space travel company Blue Origin, whose all-female flight in April carrying Sanchez, pop star Katy Perry and four others met with a public backlash for its high cost and environmental impact. The anti-Bezos group, whose posters and stickers have been seen in recent days across the city, has called a public assembly for Friday evening to drum up opposition. The Unesco-listed city, famous for its romantic gondolas and canals, is a favourite spot for lovers. In September 2014, it was the backdrop for the wedding of Hollywood actor George Clooney and human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin, a glamourous high-profile event that attracted countless tourists, fans and onlookers. The atmosphere ahead of Bezos's nuptials appeared more hostile. 'Venice is a living city, not a place to rent to the highest bidder,' the collective wrote on social media. Venice's mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, had welcomed the couple's decision, however, saying in March that the wedding would bring in millions of dollars to the city. City hall in March blasted 'fake news' circulating about the wedding, saying that only 200 people were on the guest list and that the event would be 'without any disruption whatsoever to the city, its residents and visitors'. Local media say that five hotels have been reserved for the occasion, as well as an impressive fleet of water cabs and a mooring for Bezos's megayacht. It is unclear where exactly the marriage ceremony will take place. — AFP
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Buzz off, Bezos! Amazon tycoon and bride-to-be Lauren Sanchez get an early wedding message from Venice protesters
When they booked Venice for their wedding later this month, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez will have dreamt of being greeted by the sight of gondolas and bell towers. But as these pictures show, the happy couple must also be prepared for a noisier, less friendly welcome in the 'serene city'. With a fortnight to go, Left-wing protesters and some locals are already making their feelings clear about the glitzy three-day event taking place on their doorstep in La Serenissima. Activists have put up banners around the historic city denouncing the ceremony, which is said to be costing £7million. Some have occupied the bell tower of a landmark church said to be one of the possible wedding venues. A huge banner bearing the name of the Amazon tycoon, struck out with a red cross, was hung from the tower of the Basilica of San Giorgio. The church and its buildings occupy the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, which Mr Bezos and Ms Sanchez are rumoured to be taking over for the big day. A video released by a protest group calling itself 'No Space For Bezos' showed members hanging up the banner. They said on their website: 'Venice is not for sale... it is not for rent, it is not the backdrop for the wedding of one of the richest men in the world.' They called Mr Bezos 'an oligarch whose business is responsible for a disproportionate amount of emissions', adding: 'Those who expect a docile and servile Venice, intent on collecting the crumbs that fall from the king's table, will be disappointed.' Venetians have accused the billionaire, 61, of turning their home into a 'playground' for the ultra-wealthy, with many of the city's luxury hotels and water taxis expected to be booked out by the celebrity guests. Posters put up throughout the city include an image of Bezos's head on top of a rocket with the slogan: 'No space for Bezos, No space for oligarchs!' Another protest group, Laboratorio Occupato Morion, has warned there will be a protest on the day of the wedding – which is reportedly taking place between June 24 and 26. Politicians, business leaders and celebrities including the Kardashians and actress Eva Longoria are expected to attend, which will mean closed pathways, canals and airspace, and a strong police presence.
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
Venice Locals Protest Jeff Bezos Ahead Of Italian Wedding This Month
Venice locals are staging protests against Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and the fourth richest man in the world, as his wedding to journalist Lauren Sánchez looms later this month, with a group called 'No Space For Bezos' hosting a demonstration Friday afternoon to protest what they fear will be an extravagant display of the billionaire's wealth. The "No Space for Bezos" group held a protest against Jeff Bezos' upcoming wedding in Venice on ... More Friday. (Photo by ANDREA PATTARO/AFP via Getty Images) 'No Space for Bezos' hosted a protest at Venice's Campo San Giacometo town square Friday afternoon, where protesters made speeches in front of large anti-Bezos posters as dozens of onlookers watched. The protest came one day after the group hung a large poster that said 'Bezos' with an 'X' through it on the bell tower of Venice's San Giorgio Maggiore church. The group posted a video of its members hoisting the poster on the bell tower on Instagram, where it has 1,500 followers. Across various posts on its Instagram page, the group has criticized Bezos and Venice for hosting a billionaire's wedding in the city, where organizers say more attention should be given to issues like rising housing costs and low wages. 'No Space for Bezos'—which appears to be a pun on the billionaire's Blue Origin space company, which recently sent Sánchez to the edge of space alongside Katy Perry and Gayle King—has also hung flyers and sprayed graffiti around the city. Venice confirmed earlier this year it would host Bezos' wedding, but city officials claimed the wedding would cause 'no abnormal disruption to anyone' and said they are working with wedding organizers to be 'absolutely respectful of the fragility and uniqueness of the city.' "No Space for Bezos" held a protest in Venice on Friday. (Photo by ANDREA PATTARO / AFP) (Photo by ... More ANDREA PATTARO/AFP via Getty Images) A sticker reading "No Space for Bezos" in Venice. (Photo by ANDREA PATTARO/AFP via Getty Images) ... More "No Space for Bezos" graffiti in Venice. (Photo by ANDREA PATTARO / AFP) (Photo by ANDREA ... More PATTARO/AFP via Getty Images) A poster reading "No Space for Bezos" in Venice. (Photo by ANDREA PATTARO / AFP) (Photo by ANDREA ... More PATTARO/AFP via Getty Images) Bezos and Sánchez are expected to tie the knot over a three-day celebration later this month, spanning June 24 to June 26, Venetian officials told CNN. Many details about the ceremony remain unknown, but CNN reported the wedding may take place on their $500 million yacht, on which they vacationed off the coast of France last month. The guest list is also not public, though multiple tabloids have speculated about which of the couple's famous friends may attend, with an unnamed source telling People that Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner were invited. Bezos and Sánchez were engaged in May 2023 on his yacht, where he proposed with a large pink diamond ring. The couple went public with their relationship in January 2019, shortly after Bezos announced he and his ex-wife of 25 years, billionaire Mackenzie Scott, were divorcing. Sánchez previously worked as a broadcast journalist and was a regular contributor on shows including The View and Good Day L.A., and she became a licensed helicopter pilot at age 40. Bezos is worth an estimated $228.4 billion, making him the fourth richest person in the world, according to Forbes estimates. Bezos owns slightly less than 10% of Amazon, which he founded in 1994 and led as CEO until he stepped down in 2021, at which point he became executive chairman. Bezos also founded the space company Blue Origin in 2000, and he owns The Washington Post, which he purchased in 2013. Venice Will Host Jeff Bezos' Wedding, City Says—Denying 'Fake News' About Event (Forbes) Jeff Bezos is planning a lavish Venice wedding. But it might not have the best view in town (CNN)
