Jeff Bezos Wedding: Billionaire Jeff Bezos is set to marry Lauren Sanchez, former television journalist, in a grand multi-day celebration in Venice, Italy. Reports indicate that the festivities will run for three days—from Tuesday to Thursday this week.
The wedding party will occupy the entire island of San Giorgio Maggiore, located across from the iconic St. Mark’s Square, according to the reports. However, the precise location of the ceremony has not been disclosed.
The high-profile guest list reportedly includes Oprah Winfrey, Mick Jagger, Ivanka Trump, and singer Katy Perry. Guests are also set to celebrate on Bezos’s $500 million superyacht. The yacht will be docked in Venice’s port for the occasion, reports claim.
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Locals Call Jeff Bezos Wedding Celebration ‘Privatisation’ of Venice
The extravagant wedding has sparked protests among residents and local activists. Protesters argue that the event shows the growing commercialization and exclusion of locals from public spaces.
“He is basically going to treat the whole city as a private ballroom, as a private event area, as if the citizens are not there,” Sky News quoted Alice Bazzoli, an activist with the group No Space for Bezos.
Reports reveal that the event is expected to restrict access to parts of the city, make local travel difficult, and contribute to environmental degradation.
“This is not what Venice needs. This is not what a city that is already suffering from overtourism needs,” said fellow activist Federica Toninelli.
Why Are Activists Protesting Against Jeff Bezos Wedding?
Venice is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The iconic city has long battled with the challenges of mass tourism.
“It’s going to bring money, yes, but we are not going to see any money,” Toninelli added.
Activists argue that events like Bezos’s are concerned about the deeper issues related to affordable housing, declining population in the city’s historic center, and loss of public services.
Protesters from No Space for Bezos are planning several protests during the wedding week. On 12 June, they unfurled a large banner from the bell tower of San Giorgio Maggiore with Bezos’s name crossed out.
Global Protests Against Jeff Bezos Wedding
Protests are scheduled for 28 June. The demonstrators plan to block canals—both with boats and their own bodies, in an effort to prevent guests from arriving at a party. Organizers say the protest will be peaceful.
“We want to take back our city that we are seeing constantly being privatized and taken away from us,” Toninelli said.
Global groups have also joined the protests, as activists from Greenpeace and UK-based group Everyone Hates Elon on Monday displayed a large banner in St. Mark’s Square showing Bezos laughing.
The banner read a message, “If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax.”
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