'No space for Bezos': Venetians protest Amazon founder's grandiose wedding plan
NBC3 days
Venice Residents Protest Bezos Wedding
Above: People gather to protest against the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez in Venice on June 13, 2025. Image copyright: Andrea Pattaro/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
This wedding represents everything wrong with Venice today, with billionaires treating the city like their personal playground while locals can't afford housing. Bezos built his fortune exploiting workers and now wants to militarize the entire historic center for his vanity project. The city needs affordable homes and decent jobs, not oligarchs parading around in superyachts.
Narrative B
Venice has always welcomed the world's elite and this wedding brings prestige, jobs, and economic benefits to local vendors and workers. The city regularly hosts major international events without problems and protesters represent a vocal minority, not the majority of citizens who are proud Venice was chosen. Quality tourism like this is exactly what Venice needs, not mass day-trippers.