‘Kisses yes, Bezos No,’ protesters say, as billionaire’s wedding bonanza divides Venice

As newlyweds Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Bezos prepared for their final wedding party on Saturday evening, hundreds of protesters from across Italy filled Venice's tiny streets.

Hundreds of protesters marched through Venice’s central streets on Saturday to say “No” to billionaire Jeff Bezos, his bride and their much-anticipated wedding extravaganza, which reached its third and final day amid celebrity-crowded parties and the outcries of tired residents.

On Friday, the world’s fourth-richest man and his bride Lauren Sanchez Bezos tied the knot during a private ceremony with around 200 celebrity guests on the secluded island of San Giorgio.

The wedding, however, divided Venice, with some activists protesting it as an exploitation of the city by the billionaire Bezos, while ordinary residents suffer from overtourism, high housing costs and the constant threat of climate-induced flooding.

As the two newlyweds prepared for the final party on Saturday evening, hundreds of Venetians and protesters from across Italy filled Venice’s tiny streets with colorful banners reading “Kisses Yes, Bezos No” and “No Bezos, no War.”

The demonstration contrasted with the expensive wedding bonanza, seen by critics as an affront to the lagoon city’s fragile environment and its citizens, overwhelmed by throngs of tourists.

“We are here to continue ruining the plans of these rich people, who accumulate money by exploiting many other people … while the conditions of this city remain precarious,” said Martina Vergnano, one of the demonstrators.

The protest organizers had welcomed news that Saturday’s wedding party, to be initially held on in central Venice, was later moved to a former medieval shipyard, the Arsenale, amid high security.

Bezos donated 1 million euros ($1.17 million) each to three environmental research organizations working to preserve Venice, according to Corila, the Venetian environmental research association. But many protesters saw the move as a clear example of “greenwashing.”