Jeff Bezos’s planned multi-million dollar wedding in Venice next week is sparking significant backlash, with local activists vowing disruption to protest what they see as the exploitation of their historic city by wealthy outsiders. The lavish ceremony, expected to bring hundreds of high-profile guests, has become a focal point for deep-seated frustrations over Venice’s ongoing struggle with overtourism and its dwindling resident population.
A Lavish Celebration in a Fragile City
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the world’s third richest person with an estimated net worth around $220-$230 billion, is set to marry fiancée Lauren Sánchez in Venice sometime between June 23 and 28, with core wedding events reportedly scheduled for June 24-26. While details are closely guarded, the nuptials are anticipated to be a grand affair, potentially costing around $10 million.
Reports indicate the celebration could involve taking over the entire island of San Giorgio, opposite St Mark’s Square, or perhaps centering around Bezos’s impressive 417-foot superyacht, Koru, anchored in the lagoon. Guests are rumored to include A-listers like Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry, Oprah Winfrey, Eva Longoria, and Ivanka Trump, with many expected to occupy Venice’s most exclusive hotels and utilize fleets of water taxis. The historic 10th Century Church of the Abbey of Misericordia is also speculated as a potential ceremony venue.
The ‘No Space for Bezos’ Movement
This opulent event has ignited fierce opposition from Venetian residents and activist groups united under the banner “No Space for Bezos.” Composed of various collectives tackling issues from housing shortages to anti-cruise ship campaigning, the movement views the wedding as a potent symbol of Venice being treated “like a showcase, a stage,” and merely an “asset” for external wealth rather than a living city for its residents.
“This wedding is the symbol of the exploitation of the city by outsiders,” stated Federica Toninelli, a 33-year-old activist affiliated with the group. Activists argue that the reliance on high-end tourism exacerbates existing problems like the housing crisis, where holiday rentals are replacing homes, driving out the local population. Venice’s resident numbers have plummeted from 175,000 in 1950 to just under 49,000 today, with tourists now outnumbering locals for the first time in 2023.
“People like Bezos – who represent a future we don’t want and a world we don’t want to live in – are not welcome here,” Toninelli asserted, linking their concerns to broader issues including Bezos’s business practices. Another protester, Na Haby Stella Faye, was quoted saying, “We have a chance to disrupt a ten million dollar wedding – let’s do it.”
Vowing Physical Disruption
The “No Space for Bezos” collective has already staged protests, unfurling banners against Bezos from prominent landmarks like the Rialto Bridge and the bell tower of the San Giorgio Maggiore basilica bearing messages like “No space for Bezos.”
Now, activists are planning more direct action to disrupt the wedding festivities themselves. They intend to make accessing venues difficult, potentially blocking Venice’s narrow streets (calli) and canals. Plans include physically lining streets with their bodies and blocking canals using lifesavers, dinghies, and their own boats, with some even suggesting jumping into the water to impede water taxis. Federica Toninelli has stated activists are prepared to block Bezos’s path to speculated venues like Misericordia, vowing he would “never get to the venue.”
Organizers maintain their protests will be peaceful but are determined to spark a citywide conversation about Venice’s direction and send a clear message that prioritizing external wealth over resident needs is unacceptable. They accuse conservative Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro of treating residents “like a nuisance” and valuing Venice only as “a backdrop for events that make the rich richer.”
A City on the Brink: Overtourism Crisis
The protests are set against the backdrop of Venice’s severe overtourism crisis, which has led UNESCO to list the city as an endangered world heritage site in 2023. The main island, home to only about 50,000 residents, receives around 20 million visitors annually, straining infrastructure, eroding cultural identity, and displacing locals.
Past measures like an entrance fee for day-trippers have been criticized as ineffective in managing crowds. Activists emphasize they are not against tourism itself, but against its exploitation and its complete dominance over the city’s policy and identity. They call for a “post-tourism transition” where residents, not visitors, are central to the city’s future. Giovanni Andrea Martini, an opposition councillor, echoes this sentiment, describing the city as “completely worn out” by uncontrolled tourism.
Clash of Perspectives
While activists decry the wedding, local officials and some business owners defend hosting such high-profile events. Mayor Brugnaro expressed shame regarding the protesters, stating, “What other city would organise a committee against the wedding of such an important person?” He believes such events bring “work and wealth” and prevent the city from solely depending on low-cost tourism, hoping Bezos will not reconsider his plans. Setrak Tokatzian, who heads an association of St Mark’s shopkeepers, agreed, arguing protests “hurt the city” and that well-financed events benefit local businesses. City officials have also reportedly denied claims that the wedding will cause significant disruptions like shutting down swathes of water taxis, stating the event is being managed carefully.
However, for activists, the Bezos wedding is not just another event; it’s a stark illustration of the forces transforming their city into a commercialized stage. Unlike George Clooney’s high-profile wedding in Venice in 2014 which sparked less uproar, the protest against Bezos is seen as specifically tied to his status as a symbol of global capitalism and wealth accumulation, set against the critical state of Venice’s current demographic and economic challenges.
As Venice prepares for the influx of guests, the planned protests highlight the deep divide over the city’s future – whether it will primarily serve as a luxury playground for the global elite or find a way to prioritize the needs and survival of its local community.
