Celebrities join protesters in Venice ahead of Bezos-Sanchez wedding

CBC News

· Posted: Jun 25, 2025 6:57 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hr ago

Billionaire Amazon laminitis Jeff Bezos and erstwhile writer Lauren Sanchez arrived successful Venice connected Wednesday — kicking disconnected what is expected to beryllium a play of lavish wedding festivities for the couple, attended by immoderate of the world's apical celebrities and drafting the ire of locals and protesters, who presumption it arsenic a crass illustration of the immense disparity betwixt the 1 per cent and everyone else.

Bezos and Sanchez waved arsenic they arrived astatine the dock of the Aman hotel, a five-star edifice connected the Italian city's Grand Canal, with 2 information boats successful tow.

Some 90 jets are expected to get astatine section airports up of the play event. About 200 guests are expected, among them Ivanka Trump and her family, Mick Jagger, Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Venice City Hall issued a directive connected Wednesday cordoning disconnected the country — isolating guests from activists who person been protesting for weeks that the celebrations volition crook the metropolis of gondolas and palazzi into a backstage amusement parkland for the rich.

"There's lone 1 happening that rules now: money, money, money, truthful we are the losers," Venice nonmigratory Nadia Rigo said.

Festivities volition footwear disconnected connected Thursday nighttime with an open-air gathering successful the cloisters of Madonna dell'Orto, a medieval religion successful the cardinal country of Cannaregio known for its lively nightlife, a root adjacent to the substance told Reuters.

The day and venue of the wedding itself are inactive unknown, and immoderate person speculated that Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, whitethorn already person tied the knot successful a backstage ceremonial successful the United States.

Protesters person besides been successful the metropolis each week. Activists reason that the Bezos-Sanchez wedding exemplifies broader failures successful municipal governance. Chief among their concerns is the deficiency of concern successful affordable lodging and indispensable services.

City officials person defended the wedding. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro called the lawsuit an honour for Venice, and the metropolis denied the wedding would origin disruptions.

"Venice erstwhile again reveals itself to beryllium a planetary stage,'' Brugnaro told The Associated Press, adding helium hoped to conscionable Bezos portion helium was successful town.