Billionaire Jeff Bezos is marrying Lauren Sanchez, a former TV journalist, in a glitzy multi-day occasion in Venice.
Whereas metropolis officers have not confirmed the marriage particulars, Italian media has reported that will probably be a three-day affair between Tuesday and Thursday this week.
The marriage occasion will reportedly take over the entire island of San Giorgio reverse St Mark’s Sq. – however the location of the ceremony itself stays non-public.
The visitor listing is rumoured to incorporate Oprah Winfrey, Mick Jagger and Ivanka Trump, in addition to pop star Katy Perry, who joined Ms Sanchez within the all-female superstar crew that travelled to area in April.
They and different superstar company comparable to Leonardo Dicaprio and Eva Longoria are set to affix the couple for events on the Amazon proprietor’s tremendous yacht, price about $500m (£371m), which can dock within the port of Venice for the marriage, Sky TG24 in Italy studies.
However not everybody within the metropolis is worked up.
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Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos at Donald Trump’s inauguration. Pic: Reuters
Why are there protests?
Protesters wouldn’t have a difficulty with the wedding itself however with what they are saying is the “privatisation” and “exploitation” of town.
“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,” stated Alice Bazzoli, an activist with No Area for Bezos.
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No Area For Bezos protesters stand with an anti-Bezos banner on the San Giorgio Maggiore basilica. Pic: Federica Toninelli
“This is not what Venice needs. This is not what a city that is already suffering from overtourism needs,” Federica Toninelli, one other activist related to No Area for Bezos, stated.
Town has lengthy struggled with excessive tourism numbers.
Tens of millions come to see the World Heritage Website for its medieval structure, crammed right into a picturesque canal community.
Nonetheless, this pushes up the price of dwelling for locals and tends to create solely low-paid non permanent employment.
“It’s going to bring money, yes, but we are not going to see any money,” stated Ms Toninelli.
The protests are additionally linked to wider points round inexpensive housing and a dwindling native inhabitants in Venice’s historic centre.
“Do we want our city even more invaded by tourists, by oligarchs, and people who buy and privatise the city, or do we want services, jobs, health services, schools, universities? Do we want to live in the city like normal people, or sell it to the best offer?” Ms Bazzoli added.
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No Area For Bezos protesters collect in Venice. Pic: Federica Toninelli
What protests are deliberate?
Members of No Area for Bezos are planning to disrupt celebrations this week.
They unfurled a large banner on 12 June from the bell tower of the San Giorgio Maggiore basilica with Bezos’s identify crossed out.
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An anti-Bezos signal held on the bell tower of the San Giorgio Maggiore basilica. Pic: Federica Toninelli
They’re planning one other demonstration on 28 June the place they are going to block company from arriving at a celebration by blocking the canals with boats and their our bodies, including that will probably be peaceable.
Activists from international environmental foyer Greenpeace and the UK group Everybody hates Elon joined the protests on Monday, unveiling an enormous banner in St Mark’s Sq. with a picture of Mr Bezos laughing and the caption: “If you can rent Venice for your wedding you can pay more tax.”
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The banner positioned in St Mark’s Sq. by protesters. Pic: Reuters
Bezos has been contacted for remark.
What has the response been to the protests?
The mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, has stated he’s “honoured” that town is internet hosting the occasion – “Once again Venice proves to be a world stage.”
He added: “Those 20 people who are putting up posters are clearly capitalising on [Jeff Bezos’s] image.”
Town of Venice has beforehand denied that the occasion would disrupt locals, saying water taxi providers would run usually and that solely 200 company had been invited.
“Venice is used to being the stage for events and shows every week, without significant impacts,” an announcement stated, citing G20 and G7 summits, the Structure and Cinema Biennales, in addition to non-public occasions.
It added that town has earlier expertise of internet hosting large occasions efficiently.
So what different occasions has the cited hosted?
George and Amal Clooney famously bought married there in 2014.
The actor arrived at his ceremony on the Aman Grande Canal Resort on a ship, alongside company together with Matt Damon and mannequin Cindy Crawford.
Town additionally hosted world leaders for the 2021 G20 summit, in addition to its annual Venice Movie Pageant.
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Day-trippers take a gondola tour in July 2024. Pic: Reuters
How does Venice place limits on vacationers?
Venice has been scuffling with the impacts of overtourism.
There have been about 50,000 individuals dwelling within the historic metropolis centre in 2023 – and about 4.9 million vacationer arrivals – in response to the information gathering web site Statista.
In 2024, it grew to become the primary metropolis on the earth to introduce a cost system for vacationers, with officers finishing up random checks to ensure individuals past entry factors have a QR code.
Because it stands, these visiting between April and July for a day journey pay a regular charge of €5, except they’ve booked lower than 4 days earlier than their go to, by which case they have to pay double.
Town has additionally put in place a dimension restrict of 25 individuals for vacationer teams to cut back crowds.
The place else have there been vacationer protests?
Venice is not the one European metropolis the place locals are pissed off with vacationer numbers.
Protesters in Barcelona sprayed vacationers with water weapons as a part of demonstrations lately over the variety of guests.
Anti-tourism activists have additionally staged protests in different well-liked vacation locations throughout Spain, together with Palma, Malaga and the Canary Islands, claiming that guests drive up housing prices and result in residents being unable to afford to reside in metropolis centres.
