Local Civic Groups Say "No Exclusive Party for the Rich"
After it was revealed that Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos was planning an extravagant wedding in Venice, Italy, local civic groups strongly objected and even announced plans to stage protests to block access to the wedding venue on the day of the ceremony.
According to the daily newspaper Corriere della Sera on the 16th (local time), the wedding of Bezos and his fianc?e Lauren Sanchez will be held in Venice, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, over three days starting from the 26th.
Approximately 200 guests are reportedly invited, including television host Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, singers Mick Jagger and Katy Perry, actress Eva Longoria, Ivanka Trump, daughter of former U.S. President Donald Trump, and her husband Jared Kushner.
It is reported that Bezos has reserved several of Venice's water taxis and luxury hotels exclusively for his guests.
On the 13th (local time), protesters in Venice, Italy, opposing the wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, unfurled a banner on the Rialto Bridge that read "No space for Bezos." Photo by Reuters Yonhap News
Local civic groups are strongly opposing Bezos's extravagant wedding, viewing it as the "commodification of the city." United under the slogan "No Space for Bezos," they have put up protest posters throughout the city and are continuing their demonstrations.
Some activists have announced plans to block the canal in front of the church where the wedding will take place with rubber boats and other vessels on the day of the ceremony, and to physically prevent access by forming human barricades on land, aiming to stop guests from entering altogether. They criticized Bezos as a "symbol of labor exploitation, tax avoidance, and digital capitalism," and argued that such an extravagant event turns public spaces in the city into the private domain of the wealthy.
They are particularly opposed to the wedding being held at the Misericordia Church. This church is operated by a private company owned by Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, raising concerns about a conflict of interest due to the use of a public facility for private purposes.
In response, Mayor Brugnaro countered, "There is no problem with 200 guests coming to a city that receives 150,000 tourists every day."
However, civic groups dismissed such expectations, saying, "It is like rejoicing over the crumbs from a feast for the rich." They argued, "The profits will go to a handful of large corporations and a few luxury hotels, while the majority of Venice residents will only have to endure traffic restrictions, encroachment on public spaces, and inconvenience in their daily lives."
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