Bezos-Sánchez Wedding: Venice Protests
- Venice is bracing for a celebrity wedding and a wave of protests.
- Mark’s Tower over the weekend, displaying "Bezos" with a red X.
- Federica Toninelli, a 33-year-old Venetian activist, described the wedding as "the symbol of the exploitation of the city by outsiders."
Venice Activists Protest Jeff Bezos Wedding, Claim city’s Exploitation
Updated June 18, 2025
Venice is bracing for a celebrity wedding and a wave of protests. Activists are escalating their efforts to disrupt the planned wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez, scheduled for next week. The “No Space for Bezos” campaign highlights concerns that Venice is becoming a playground for the wealthy, impacting local residents.
The activists hung a banner on St. Mark’s Tower over the weekend, displaying “Bezos” with a red X. Similar banners and stickers have appeared throughout Venice as part of the “No Space for Bezos” campaign. The activists are taking on the role of protectors of the city.
Federica Toninelli, a 33-year-old Venetian activist, described the wedding as “the symbol of the exploitation of the city by outsiders.”
Protesters are threatening to block canals and narrow streets, potentially preventing the 200 wedding guests from reaching party venues.The guest list reportedly includes Katy Perry, some of the Kardashians, Eva Longoria, Oprah Winfrey, and Gayle King.
Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro expressed hope that the protests would not disrupt the wedding. “We will have to apologize to Bezos,” Brugnaro said, adding he was “ashamed” of the protesters’ behavior and hoped bezos would proceed with the wedding.
The Bezos-Sánchez wedding is poised to be the largest in Venice since George Clooney married Amal Alamuddin in 2014.
What’s next
The coming days will determine whether the protests succeed in disrupting the wedding plans or if Bezos and Sánchez will celebrate their nuptials without a hitch. Security measures are expected to be heightened throughout Venice.