Venice (Italy), Jun 25 (AP) This weekend, the luxurious Venice wedding of Amazon's billionaire founder, Jeff Bezos, and Lauren Sanchez has sparked significant protests from activist groups. These groups have voiced concerns about the wedding as a symbol of the widening gap between the affluent and the less fortunate, as well as a disregard for the residents of the city. Around a dozen Venetian organizations, including housing advocates, anti-cruise ship campaigners, and university groups, have come together under the banner “No Space for Bezos”—a play on words referencing the bride's recent space journey. These groups have held small protests, displaying anti-Bezos banners at iconic Venetian landmarks. Additionally, they were joined by Greenpeace and the British group “Everyone Hates Elon,” known for smashing Teslas in protest against Elon Musk, to unfurl a massive banner at St. Mark's Square. This banner, highlighting alleged tax privileges for billionaires, carried the message, “IF YOU CAN RENT VENICE FOR YOUR WEDDING, YOU CAN PAY MORE TAX,” alongside a large image of Bezos. Authorities quickly removed it. Bezos' representatives have remained silent on the protests. Local activists intended a larger protest for Saturday, planning to block canal access with boats to hinder guests from reaching the wedding venue. However, they later shifted to a march from the train station, claiming success in prompting organizers to change the venue to the Arsenale. The Arsenale is a more secure location outside Venice's crowded center. Federica Toninello, an activist with the Social Housing Assembly network, stated, "It will be a strong, decisive protest, but peaceful." She added, "We want it to be like a party, with music, to make clear what we want our Venice to look like." Among the 200 confirmed wedding guests are Mick Jagger, Ivanka Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Venice, famous for its picturesque canals, hosts numerous weddings annually, often for the wealthy and famous. Previously, celebrity weddings, such as George Clooney's marriage to human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in 2014, were warmly received by the public, with hundreds gathering to congratulate the couple at City Hall. However, Bezos' political and business associations present a different situation, explained Tommaso Cacciari, a leading figure in the movement that successfully banned cruise ships exceeding 25,000 tons from the Giudecca Canal in central Venice. “Bezos is not a Hollywood actor,” Cacciari stated. “He is an ultra-billionaire who sat next to Donald Trump during the inauguration, contributed to his re-election, and plays a direct, substantial role in this new global obscurantism.” Critics also cite concerns over Amazon's labor practices, ongoing tax disputes with European governments, and Bezos' political ties. Activists argue that Bezos' wedding highlights broader failures in municipal governance, especially the emphasis on tourism over residents’ needs. They point to measures like the day-tripper tax, criticized for portraying Venice as a theme park, as ineffective. Their primary concerns include a lack of investment in affordable housing and essential services. City officials have defended the wedding. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro called it an honor for Venice and maintained that the event wouldn't cause disruptions. “Venice once again reveals itself to be a global stage,” Brugnaro told The Associated Press, expressing hope to meet Bezos during his stay. Meanwhile, a Venetian environmental research organization, Corila, announced that Bezos' Earth Fund supports its work with a “significant donation.” Corila, which involves university scholars and Italy's main national research council in studying Venetian protection strategies, confirmed that contact with Bezos began in April, well before any protests emerged. (AP) PY PY
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