As preparations ramp up for the grand wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez, the city of Venice is seeing more than just glamour; it’s facing public outrage. Scheduled for next week, the wedding celebration has triggered protests led by environmental activists and frustrated locals who accuse Bezos of flaunting his wealth while avoiding taxes.
Why Is Jeff Bezos’ Wedding Being Protested?
Earlier this week, environmental group Greenpeace staged a bold protest in St Mark’s Square, unveiling a massive banner featuring a grinning image of Jeff Bezos alongside the sharp message,“If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax.”
The group also posted a video of the protest on Instagram, directly accusing Bezos of underpaying his workers and evading taxes. In their post, they slammed the billionaire’s extravagance, “No wonder he can afford to shut down half of Venice for his wedding. Tax billionaires NOW.”
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The wedding, expected to be attended by nearly 200 high-profile guests, including Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mick Jagger, and Katy Perry, is set to occupy the entire San Giorgio Island, right across from St Mark’s Square. The guests are also likely to party aboard Bezos’ USD 500 million superyacht. While the event is being hailed as the ‘wedding of the century’ in celebrity circles, many Venetians are anything but thrilled.
Locals have voiced growing frustration over how the city has increasingly become a playground for the super-rich. Venice, already overwhelmed by over-tourism and rising living costs, now faces added disruption from a wedding few locals will ever see, let alone attend.
Adding to the criticism is Sanchez’s previous statement urging more action on climate change, contrasted sharply with her participation in a Blue Origin space flight earlier this year, viewed as an environmental contradiction.
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Activist Groups Call Out Privatisation of Venice
The protest wasn’t limited to Greenpeace. Another group, ‘Everyone Hates Elon,’ joined forces with them in what’s become a broader movement against billionaire influence in public spaces. Their shared banner accused Bezos of exploiting the city for private gain, calling attention to the growing trend of ‘privatisation and elitism’ in Venice.
Placards reading ‘Veniceland: A Playground Fit for an Oligarch’ and ‘No Space for Bezos’ have been spotted across the city. These slogans reflect deep dissatisfaction with how billionaires dominate Venice’s historic landscape while locals struggle with affordability and dwindling space.
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Locals Plan To Disrupt Wedding Celebrations
One group, aptly named ‘No Space for Bezos,’ is using social media to mobilise Venetians for peaceful resistance. A protest is being planned for coming Saturday, with residents urged to fill the streets and block the canals to draw attention to the socio-economic strain caused by such high-profile events.
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Through Instagram and other platforms, these activists have highlighted how Amazon’s global dominance is hurting small businesses, how Venice’s identity is eroding under luxury tourism, and how working conditions and environmental concerns tied to Bezos’ empire remain unresolved.
Although Jeff Bezos ranks as the world’s second-richest individual after Elon Musk, reports suggest he pays an effective tax rate of just 1.1%.
The wedding festivities are expected to span three days, likely taking place between June 26 and 28, 2025. Reportedly, the duo has now shifted their wedding venue from Venice following protests by local activist groups. The new location remains undisclosed as of now.
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Credits: No Space For Bezos Instagram/Jeff Bezos Instagram
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