13 hours ago
Extinction Rebellion targets Bezos wedding in Venice
Extinction Rebellion has targeted Jeff Bezos' wedding in Venice with a protest in St Mark's Square.
A climber from the campaign group has scaled one of three 25-metre wooden poles that stand directly in front of St Mark's Basilica.
Wearing a climbing helmet and secured to the pole with ropes, he has unfurled a black and white banner that says The One Per Cent Ruins The World.
Three Italian marines and several police officers are guarding the base of the pole. It is understood that they cannot bring him down by force.
A fireman told The Telegraph: 'He's been up there for at least an hour and a half. He's clearly an experienced climber. We want to get him down. But we can't use force. It would be dangerous for him and for us.'
The protest is aimed at billionaire Mr Bezos, the third richest person in the world, who is in Venice to marry his fiancée Lauren Sanchez.
The Amazon founder and his bride-to-be, a former TV journalist, said they had made donations to three causes: Venice International University 'to support research and education', UNESCO's Venice office 'to safeguard the city's irreplaceable heritage', and an environmental charity called CORILA, which works on restoring the natural habitats of the Venetian lagoon.
Mr Bezos and his fiancée said that Venice had 'gifted us unforgettable memories', and that they hoped their donations would ensure that Venice 'will continue to inspire wonder for generations to come'.
Some Venetians have protested against the three-day wedding extravaganza, objecting to the presence of so many billionaires, the low levels of tax that they claim Mr Bezos pays, and his support for the Trump administration.
They have hung banners from bell towers, unfurled giant posters in St Mark's Square, and plastered the city with 'No Space for Bezos' stickers.
