‘No Space for Bezos’: Protests escalate ahead of Bezos and Sánchez’s Venice wedding

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez are preparing to say “I do” in Venice, but not everyone is thrilled about it.

As the billionaire couple commence a multi-day celebration shrouded in secrecy, Venice is showing visible signs of unrest, with police forced to step in.

Activists are lining up, protest banners are being hung, and locals are making it clear that Bezos is not welcome here.

While the couple have confirmed that local vendors are supplying Murano glassware and pastries for guest goody bags, much of the attention has turned to the backlash brewing in the streets.

The wedding, according to one local teacher and activist, is “the symbol of all that is wrong with Venice.”

“There’s a lot of anger in the air because once again the council has enslaved itself to the logic of profit — our city has been sold to the highest bidder,” Marta Sottoriva told The Guardian.

“Every time an event of this kind happens, the city comes to a standstill, certain areas become inaccessible and even more tourists arrive.”

Still, the backlash hasn’t stopped the couple from enjoying themselves. On Sunday, Bezos and Sánchez were spotted on the deck of his $500 million ($A554 million) yacht, Koru, throwing a foam party with friends.

The pair played in thick bubbles, bounced beach balls, and dove off the yacht into the water.

Pictures captured the billionaire and his soon-to-be wife sudded up, embracing in the soapy foam.

Whether it was a pre-wedding celebration or a 17th birthday bash for Sánchez’s son, the optics were pure billionaire leisure — frothy, extravagant, and floating just offshore from a city deep in protest.

Tourism councillor Simone Venturini disagreed vehemently.

“We should all be proud that the Bezos wedding, an event of international importance, is being held in the waters of our lagoon,” he told The Guardian.

To other news outlets, he was more blunt: “If Bezos’ wedding goes ahead as planned, without these pain-in-the-ass protests, Venetian citizens won’t even notice.”

The couple’s London-based planners, Lanza & Baucina, issued a statement to CNN pushing back on claims of disruption: “Rumours of ‘taking over’ the city are entirely false and diametrically opposed to our goals and to reality.”

Still, the week of the wedding has turned Venice into a logistical headache.

The Aman Venice — where the couple are believed to be staying — is booked out, with rooms reportedly running up to $10,000 a night.

“Bezos will never get to the Misericordia,” protester Federica Toninello declared, vowing to “block the canals, line the streets with our bodies, block the canals with inflatables, dinghies, boats.”

“We can’t miss a chance to disrupt a $10-million wedding,” activist Na Haby Stella Faye told a rally, later clarifying on Instagram that protests would also target United States President Donald Trump and war more broadly.

Elsewhere in the city, Greenpeace unfurled a massive banner in Piazza San Marco, which read: “IF YOU CAN RENT VENICE FOR YOUR WEDDING YOU CAN PAY MORE TAX”. It was swiftly removed by police.

Meanwhile, the logistics get trickier.

Reports that yacht ports have been flooded with bookings as some billionaires are reportedly altering their plans to avoid the chaos. And while Venice’s airspace is closed for the wedding, private helicopters are still reportedly being cleared, just in case a head of state drops in.

Mr Trump and Ivanka Trump have reportedly been invited; however, it is unclear if they will attend due to current world events. Jared Kushner is also on the guest list, along with Karlie Kloss, Joshua Kushner, Leonardo DiCaprio, Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Gayle King, Barbra Streisand, Diane von Furstenberg, Queen Rania of Jordan, and many more. Katy Perry won’t be attending — she’s on tour.

As for the venue itself, speculation continues. The couple may tie the knot aboard Bezo’s $500 million yacht, or at the historic Scuola Grande della Misericordia. Either way, the city is bracing for more than confetti.