Venice Activists Celebrate as Jeff Bezos Relocates Lavish Wedding Festivities
Venice, Italy — In a dramatic turn of events, local activists in Venice are hailing a major victory after billionaire Jeff Bezos was forced to relocate part of his extravagant wedding celebration with media personality Lauren Sanchez away from the historic city center. Originally set to take place at the iconic Scuola Grande della Misericordia, the high-profile event has been moved to the Arsenale district following days of protests.
While the exact schedule and locations of the three-day wedding remain shrouded in secrecy, sources confirmed that the venue change reflects mounting pressure from grassroots campaigners denouncing the billionaire’s presence as symbolic of unchecked wealth and the commercialization of Venice.
Grassroots Movement Claims the Win
“This is an enormous victory,” declared Tommaso Cacciari, a leading voice in the No Space for Bezos movement. “We are ordinary citizens with no wealth or power, yet we managed to push one of the world’s most influential figures out of our city center.”
Protesters unfurled anti-billionaire banners across Venetian bridges and squares, denouncing Bezos’ opulent lifestyle and his reported support for controversial political figures. The slogan “If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more taxes” was emblazoned beneath a massive banner in Piazza San Marco, placed there by a group called Everyone Hates Elon.
For activists like Simona Abbate of Greenpeace, the demonstration is not about the wedding itself. “It’s about what it represents. This isn’t just two people getting married. It’s a display of excess and privilege, while the rest of us deal with a climate crisis we didn’t cause,” she said.
Backlash Against Over-Tourism and Wealth Inequality
Bezos’ wedding celebration, expected to host around 200 elite guests including Kim Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mick Jagger, and several members of the Trump family, has drawn sharp criticism from Venetians already grappling with the impact of over-tourism. Entire hotels have been booked out for the event, private yachts dominate the harbor, and Venice Airport is bracing for a surge in private jets.
Critics argue that such lavish events reduce the city to a mere backdrop for the ultra-wealthy. "Bezos is treating Venice like a luxury amusement park," said Cacciari. “It’s no longer seen as a real city with real residents.”
The city has introduced a €5 daily entrance tax in a bid to manage overtourism, but local campaigners insist the measure has done little to deter the flood of visitors that drives up costs and displaces residents.
City Officials Respond
However, Venice officials have pushed back against the backlash. Simone Venturini, City Councillor for Economic Development, dismissed the protests as “ridiculous,” insisting that the event will benefit the local economy. “These are private events on private property. Protesters don’t represent the majority of Venetians,” he stated.
Still, public sentiment remains divided. For many, the issue is not just about Bezos, but about the broader implications of wealth inequality, environmental sustainability, and the eroding identity of Venice itself.
A Wedding Under Pressure
The official wedding ceremony is expected to begin this weekend, with increased security reportedly provided by former U.S. Marines. Though activists initially planned dramatic actions — including jumping into canals with inflatable alligators — those stunts have been called off. Instead, protesters plan to project messages onto city buildings and organize a final public march.
“This isn’t over,” said Cacciari. “Bezos may have moved his party, but the fight for Venice is just beginning.”