As Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez gear up for their extravagant wedding in Venice, Italy, the city is abuzz with protests against the event.
Tensions have been high in the city amid
news of the couple’s wedding plans,
after speculation about
when and where they would wed
ever since their 2023 engagement.
Amidst the backdrop of growing global tensions due to the Iranian-Israeli/U.S. conflict, the couple has reportedly been compelled to
switch one of their original venues
.
Originally set to host a grand party at Scuola Grande della Misericordia, they’ve now moved the festivities to another location in the Arsenale area, but this hasn’t quelled the ongoing protests. Locals are expressing strong disapproval of the couple’s $48M wedding plans.
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The cityscape is increasingly dotted with anti-Bezos messages, including signs and stickers proclaiming “No Space for Bezos,” and even historic landmarks like the Rialto Bridge and St. Mark’s Square have become platforms for protest, reports
the Irish Star
.
People Magazine reports that protestors are now broadening their grievances, calling on the Amazon mogul to “pay more taxes” in light of his upcoming nuptials.
Greenpeace has taken a prominent role in the demonstrations, unfurling a massive banner in St. Mark’s Square featuring a laughing Bezos with the caption, “If you can rent Venice for your wedding you can pay more tax.”
The organization took to Instagram to post a video of a banner with the caption, “Jeff Bezos pays his staff poverty wages and dodges tax. No wonder he can afford to shut down half of Venice for his wedding this week. Tax billionaires NOW.”
Despite concerns from locals about potential disruptions, city hall officials have assured that normal taxi and water transport services will remain operational during the celebrations set to begin on June 24. They’ve confirmed that only 30 out of 280 water taxis are booked and just a handful of hotels will be in use.
The city also released a statement highlighting its experience in managing major events.
“The city is fully accustomed to hosting high-profile events of this nature and scale, including other celebrity weddings, international summits such as the G7 and G20, as well as traditional events like the Festa del Redentore and the Venice Biennale,” read the statement.
It further emphasized, “The celebrations, attended by 250 guests, will blend into the daily rhythm of a city that, with dignity and respect, welcomes thousands of visitors from around the world while safeguarding the quality of life for its residents, workers and students.”
The couple initially had plans to source 80% of their wedding elements from local Venetian businesses, including pastries from Rosa Salva and custom Murano glass items from Kaguna B design studio, as a tribute to Venice.
However, with the ongoing demonstrations and rising global tensions, they’ve made a last-minute change in their Saturday evening festivities site due to the original location being “tension-filled” and more challenging to manage.
Their first choice was nestled along the rio de Noale canal in Venice’s Cannaregio district, a stone’s throw from the iconic Grand Canal, just a brief stroll away from the Rialto Bridge and not much further from St. Mark’s Square.
Although they kept the name of the new venue under wraps, it has been hinted that it’s situated in the Arsenale area of Venice – merely 1.5 miles from Rialto Bridge and a short 1.25 miles from the legendary St. Mark’s Square.
