E! News
Protests Rock Venice as Activists Plot to Disrupt Jeff Bezos’ Lavish Wedding Celebration
As Amazon founder Jeff Bezos prepares to tie the knot with fiancée Lauren Sánchez in a multi-million-dollar wedding on Venice’s historic San Giorgio Island, a growing chorus of local activists is planning something far less celebratory: mass disruption. The wedding, set to take place between June 23 and 28, has sparked outrage among Venetians who accuse the billionaire of turning their fragile, over-touristed city into a “backdrop for the elite.” The protest movement, branded “No Space for Bezos,” has united housing activists, anti-cruise ship campaigners, and long-time residents angry about the commodification of their city.
From unfurling massive anti-Bezos banners from landmarks like the San Giorgio Maggiore bell tower to plans of diving into canals to block water taxis, the protests are symbolic and strategic. Organizers say they aim to highlight how Venice—already overwhelmed by tourism and a shrinking population—is being “sold off” to the ultra-wealthy for private entertainment. “Venice is now just an asset,” says Federica Toninelli, a 33-year-old activist and spokesperson for the movement. “This wedding is a symbol of the larger problem: the city serves outsiders, not its own people.”
Jeff Bezos, with a net worth of $220.9 billion, is the world’s third richest man. His grand wedding has reportedly reserved nearly all luxury accommodations and water transport in central Venice, with around 200 guests expected to attend. High-profile attendees may include Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry, and even members of the Trump family.
Meanwhile, some of Venice’s own residents can’t even find affordable housing.
According to watchdog group Ocio, the city’s population has plummeted to under 49,000, from 175,000 in 1950, with housing being converted into tourist rentals en masse. While the city recently introduced a tourist tax to limit day visitors, activists argue it’s a band-aid solution that doesn’t address the deep-rooted exploitation of Venice’s identity and economy.
Venice’s conservative mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, slammed the protestors, calling them “a shame” and suggesting their actions could scare Jeff Bezos away. “What other city would create a committee to protest such an important event?” he asked, praising the event’s “economic benefits.”
But critics counter that wealth isn’t the issue—who it serves is. “This kind of event brings in work and wealth,” said the local jeweler, “but it only benefits the elite.”
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez, engaged since 2023, are rumored to wed in the Abbey of Misericordia, with some guests staying on Bezos’ superyachts, Koru and Abeona. While the full wedding itinerary remains secret, local unrest is growing more visible by the hour. “This is not about hating tourists or weddings,” says Toninelli. “It’s about reclaiming our city and resisting a future built for billionaires.”
As the wealthiest man’s wedding approaches, so does Venice’s reckoning—with itself, its values, and its right to resist becoming a billionaire’s playground.
