Protests are being staged in Venice over the extravagant three-day wedding of Amazon boss Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez that kicks off today.
Fury from locals has been brimming in the past week towards the couple for ‘taking over the city’, forcing them to hire a team of former US marines for security.
The multi-billionaire, 61, and the former TV presenter, 55, have also been forced to change one of the venues for their $20million Venice wedding because of ‘rising global tensions’.
Around 20 activists were seen this morning holding placards in St Mark’s Square, the iconic heart of Venice, with some trying to climb a post.
An extinction rebellion flag was being waved, with one of the signs reading ‘we are the 99 per cent we have the power’.
Another campaigner held one saying ‘the planet burns’ in Italian while being carried away by police.
There have been other criticisms regarding over-tourism, how much tax Jeff Bezos pays and his environmental impact.
Earlier this week, Greenpeace activists unfurled a huge banner the square showing Bezos’ face and the slogan: ‘If you can rent Venice for your wedding then you can pay more tax.’
Protests are being staged in Venice over the extravagant three-day wedding of Amazon boss Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez
Around 20 activists were seen this morning holding placards in St Mark’s Square, the iconic heart of Venice, with some trying to climb a post
One campaigner held a sign saying ‘the planet burns’ in Italian while being carried away by police
The three-day affair kicked off yesterday as the multi-billionaire, 61, and the former TV presenter, 55, were seen arriving at the luxury Aman Hotel by boat
Activists from British group ‘Everyone Hates Elon’ were also involved and said they had carried it out to highlight the ‘environmental and social injustice of the wedding’.
One said: ‘Bezos encapsulates an economic and social model which is steering us towards collapse.
‘All to often now social injustice travels on an equal par with the climate, on one side the arrogance of a few billionaires who have a lifestyle that devastates the planet, the other people who suffer daily from the environment crisis.’
Bezos and Sanchez were forced to move their final day of lavish celebrations that was set to culminate at the Scuola Grande della Misericordia.
They are instead taking place at the Arsenale, which is further out from the city – a move which is an ‘enormous victory’ for Campaign group No Space for Bezos, they said.
Tommaso Cacciari from the group told the BBC: ‘We are very proud of this! We are nobodies, we have no money, nothing!’
‘We’re just citizens who started organising and we managed to move one of the most powerful people in the world – all the billionaires – out of the city.’
The wedding planners have dismissed the protests and insisted they have taken every precaution required.
Greenpeace activists unfurled a huge banner the square showing Bezos’ face and the slogan: ‘If you can rent Venice for your wedding then you can pay more tax’
Amazon boss Jeff Bezos and bride to be Lauren Sanchez’s have been forced to change one of the venues for their $48 million Venice wedding because of ‘rising global tensions’
A poster calling for a protest against Bezos’ wedding pasted on a mail box in Venice
Extinction Rebellion activists protest under the slogan ‘Tassare I Ricchi Per Ridare Al Pianeta’ (Taxing the Rich to Give Back to the Planet) draped a banner from a crane
Billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez were all smiles as they arrived in Venice ahead their much anticipated wedding
Billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez arrive in Venice ahead their anticipated wedding
The pair waved to paparazzi as they steamed through Venetian waterways
Lanza & Baucina Limited said in a statement: ‘As event organisers who have been working in Venice for over 24 years, we feel obliged to set the record straight given the misinformation, untruths and misunderstandings circulating about the Bezos wedding.
‘From the outset, instructions from our client and our own guiding principles were abundantly clear: the minimising of any disruption to the city, the respect for its residents and institutions and the overwhelming employment of locals in the crafting of the events.’
Bezos, 61, is the world’s third richest person with an estimated with of $221 billion and is the founder of Amazon and space tech firm Blue Origin.
Several high-profile guests have been seen in Venice today, including Kim Kardashian, her sister Khloe and her mother Kris Jenner.
Oprah Winfrey has also been spotted as well as Ivanka Trump and Orlando Bloom, who has allegedly split from his partner of nearly a decade Katy Perry.
Around 90 private jets are set to land in local airports this week, bringing A-listers from show business, politics and finance to the widely-dubbed ‘wedding of the century’.
But the historic venue that Bezos and Sanchez chose for part of their $20 million bash is covered in scaffolding, MailOnline can reveal.
The lavish three-day event will feature a party held within the fabulous 15th-century Madonna dell’Orto church in Venice’s quaint Cannareggio district.
Several high-profile guests have been seen in Venice today, including Kim Kardashian
By her side was sister Khloe Kardashian who will also join the festivities
Kris Jenner is also in attendance – around 90 private jets are set to land in local airports this week
Kim Kardashian was seen chatting with Orlando Bloom, who has allegedly split from his partner of nearly a decade Katy Perry
Oprah Winfrey will also attend the wedding
The historic venue that multi-billionaire Jeff Bezos has chosen for part of his $20 million Venice wedding with Lauren Sanchez is covered in scaffolding. Pictured: 15th Century Madonna dell Orto church covered in scaffolding
Bell Tower at Roman Catholic Church of Madonna dell Orto pictured without scaffolding
In preparation, security guards have now blocked off entrances to the closure where the party will be held but what guests will first see when they arrive is the iconic bell tower covered in scaffolding.
This has left locals speculating that Bezos may have booked the venue based on seeing pictures on Google without realising it is being repaired.
The three-day affair kicked off yesterday as the pair were seen stepping off a boat at the luxury Aman Hotel.
After being dropped off by water taxi to the hotel’s private jetty, the couple were also joined by around 50 other of their closest guests and friends.
The couple began their wedding celebrations with a drinks reception with a playlist of romantic music, blasting More Than A Woman by the Bee Gees. They then continued to play tunes like Nina Simone’s I’m Feeling Good, Lovely Day by Bill Withers and Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison.
Earlier in the day, in the private garden of the hotel, which is surrounded by a 10ft brick wall, staff could be heard working to erect marquees, ready for a weekend of celebrations.
They also put a VIP jetty up outside the venue for guests to use when they arrived. Huge security staff also surrounded the property, around five or six men at each entrance.
No Space for Bezos had originally encouraged demonstrators to bring goggles and inflatables for Saturday so they can dive into canals and disrupt taxis ferrying guests but the protest has since been turned into a march.
Workers set up a footbridge late in the night at the entrance of the luxury hotel Aman ahead of the three-day wedding party of Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez
The Amazon founder has booked out the five-star Aman Venice hotel (pictured) for three nights to accommodate some of the wedding guests
The Aman Venice’s opulent suites complete with beautiful furnishings can cost as much as £10,000 per night
The hotel has three dining rooms where guests can enjoy bowls of pasta from £34 and cocktails from £24
Staff seen outside the Madonna Dell Orto, where a pre-wedding cocktail reception will be held
On its social media the group says: ‘Jeff Bezos and his clique of super rich people are not welcome in Venice’ adding that the city cannot be ‘a showcase for the elite’.
Conversely a pro Bezos campaign group called ‘Yes, Venice can’ has formed in recent days welcoming the wedding for bringing funds and publicity to the city.
In regards to the protests, Venice tourism council lot Simone Venturini told MailOnline: ‘Venice is honored to host a private event like Jeff Bezos’s wedding, chosen from destinations around the world for its singular beauty and character.
‘This celebration highlights our city’s international appeal and its capacity to welcome high-profile events with both discretion and efficiency.
‘The objections voiced by a few dozen professional protesters—driven solely by a desire for media attention—do not represent the spirit of Venice; they reflect little more than social envy.
‘Venice has always been—and remains—open, welcoming, and respectful, ready to embrace every visitor who honors our city’s heritage.
‘Each year we host hundreds of events and celebrations, many of which have an even greater impact on everyday life.
‘Those who bring investment, create jobs, and bolster Venice’s global standing will always be welcome here.
‘We will continue to strive for a city that balances hospitality with the protection of its unique heritage, guided by both vision and equilibrium.
‘Our heartfelt thanks to Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez for their decision to donate substantial sums to organisations dedicated to safeguarding and protecting our lagoon.
‘Now that’s a genuine act of love for the city, unlike those contrived protests’.
Bezos, who remains the executive chair of e-commerce giant Amazon and sits at number 4 on Forbes’ billionaires list, got engaged to Sanchez in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to Mackenzie Scott.
