2 days ago
7
Hundreds of radical filled the streets and waterways of Venice to protestation against the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez connected the last time of their multimillion-dollar celebrations.
The Amazon founder, 61, and his bride, 55, got joined successful a backstage ceremony connected the secluded Venetian land of San Giorgio connected Friday.
Throughout the weekend, activists came retired against the wedding, which they accidental is adding to chronic problems of overtourism, clime change-induced flooding, and spiralling costs for locals.
On Saturday, demonstrators were seen clutching placards that read: "Kisses yes, Bezos no", "No Bezos, nary war", and "118,000 Italian shops killed by Amazon".
Others gathered connected the city's celebrated Rialto Bridge, wherever they draped a banner that read: "No abstraction for Bezos".
Read more
Why protesters vowed to marque wedding 'nightmare'
The couple's nuptials, estimated to person outgo betwixt £34m and £41m, took implicit aggregate venues passim the city.
The newlyweds stayed successful the luxury Aman edifice connected the Grand Canal, wherever rooms outgo £3,400 a night, portion the 200 guests took implicit different luxury accommodation, implicit with their entourage and information teams.
City officials person defended agreeing to big the wedding of the world's 4th richest man, citing its age-old contented of welcoming popes, emperors, and mean visitors.
Please usage Chrome browser for a much accessible video player
Bezos donated £850,000 (one cardinal euros) to 3 biology probe organisations dedicated to preserving Venice, wherever the ailing infrastructure is nether expanding unit from cruise ships, utmost weather, and expanding numbers of tourists.
But Venetian activistic Flavio Cogo said: "We privation a escaped Venice, which is yet dedicated to its citizens.
"Those donations are conscionable misery and lone aimed astatine clearing Bezos's conscience."
Please usage Chrome browser for a much accessible video player
Fellow protester Martin Vergnano said: "We are present to proceed ruining the plans of these affluent people, who accumulate wealth by exploiting galore different people… portion the conditions of this metropolis stay precarious."
Protesters claimed they forced the relocation of the last enactment connected Saturday from an undisclosed archetypal determination to the Arsenale, a erstwhile medieval shipyard.
Bezos and Sanchez were seen blowing kisses to crowds and the property earlier their last celebrations.
The database of VIP guests included the Kardashians, Orlando Bloom and Oprah Winfrey.
English (US) ·