Recent protests in Venice over the glamorous wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez have drawn global attention. The demonstrations exposed rising frustration with issues like mass tourism, rising rents, worker exploitation, inequality, and elitism.
While local officials downplayed the protests, calling them a “small fringe group,” the wedding’s high-profile nature and Venice’s world-famous landmarks gave protesters a powerful international platform.
Activists Target Bezos with Bold Messages
Activists hung banners reading “No Space for Bezos” from the famous Rialto Bridge. In St Mark’s Square, they placed a giant canvas demanding that Bezos pay more taxes. These visuals quickly spread on social media and in international news.
As the protestors marched through the city centre, they chanted, “Bezos, out of the lagoon!”
Some held signs with bold slogans like “Eat the rich”, “Rejected”, and accused the mayor of Venice of being “corrupt.”
Due to concerns about disruptions, Bezos and Sanchez moved their final wedding celebration from central Venice to a quieter location in the eastern part of the lagoon.
Protesters Say Venice Is Not a Playground for the Rich
Tommaso Cacciari, leader of the “No Space for Bezos” group, told Reuters, “The idea that the city should be seen as a film set, a stage, or an amusement park has never been clearer than with Bezos’s wedding.”
On Saturday, about 1,000 protesters marched in the heat. They gathered near Venice’s train station and walked 1.5 kilometres to the iconic Rialto Bridge.
Many carried creative banners with messages like “Kisses yes, Bezos no,” referencing Venice’s romantic charm. Others showed “No Space for Bezos” alongside a rocket, pointing to Bezos’s space company, Blue Origin.
Local Leaders Praise the Event
However, not everyone in Venice opposed the wedding. Some local politicians and business owners supported it. They said it gave a strong boost to the city’s economy.
Luca Zaia, the regional governor of Veneto, praised the event and stated that the city should feel proud to have hosted it.
