INDO DAILY
← FROTH AND BUBBLE  |  Home FROTH AND BUBBLE

'Eat the rich': Venice protests shadow Bezos wedding

by AFP Staff Writers Venice (AFP) June 28, 2025 AFP
At least 500 protesters marched through Venice on Saturday, condemning Amazon founder Jeff Bezos's wedding to journalist Lauren Sanchez, a lavish affair that has drawn backlash in the historic Italian city.

"Bezos, out of the lagoon", the demonstrators chanted as they wound through the city centre, some brandishing signs that read: "Eat the rich", "Rejected", and accusations that Venice's mayor is "corrupt".

The peaceful protest, held in sweltering heat, was led by the "No place for Bezos" group, which has campaigned for days against what it calls the couple's harmful economic and environmental footprint on the city.

"We are here against what Bezos represents, his model, the Amazon model, based on exploiting people and land," said Alice Bazzoli, 24, an activist with "No Space for Bezos" who has lived in Venice for five years, speaking to AFPTV.

Protesters later unfurled a large "No place for Bezos" banner and lit flares above the famous Rialto Bridge spanning the Grand Canal.

Matteo Battistuta, a 20-year-old student, said he wanted to send the message that "Venice is fighting back, it's not a dead city, it acts in its own interest before tourism's".

"We believe Venice can still be a place worth living in," he added.

Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, exchanged vows during a ceremony Friday evening on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, opposite St Mark's Square.

The ceremony capped off a week of yacht parties and VIP events, due to end with a lavish ball Saturday night -- as Venetians remain divided over the impact on the city's image.

Guests included Ivanka Trump, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kim Kardashian, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, American football star Tom Brady, TV host Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates.

cor-cmk/blb/srg/gv

Amazon.com

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, is Copyright 1995-2026 Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principles for news reporting and research purposes.