Just a day after Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez exchanged vows in a lavish ceremony in Venice on Friday, a wave of discontent rippled through the historic city. On Saturday, several hundred demonstrators gathered at a train station before marching through the city, sending a clear message to the billionaire couple: they are not welcome.
Chanting in Italian, protesters shouted “Bezos, f**k off” and “Out of our lagoon!” One demonstrator brandished a humorous yet pointed sign featuring Shrek and the words “Get Out of Our Lagoon,” with a QR code linking to Smash Mouth’s “All Star,” a nod to the first Shrek film’s soundtrack.
The protest, while spirited, had serious undertones. “Bezos walks hand-in-hand with Trump, who is pouring more money into war,” declared one woman through a microphone. “We stand for peace.”
Austrian protester Hans Peter Martin, speaking to CNN, criticized Bezos for using Venice as a personal stage. “He has immense power,” he said. “And now he’s exploiting this city just to show off. He’s not welcome here.”
Sofia D’Amato, a 22-year-old local, rejected the notion that the protests were rooted in envy. “We’re not jealous that he makes so much money or holds so much power,” she said. “We’re angry when his wealth smacks us in the face.”
The extravagant three-day celebration is estimated to have cost $55 million. Venice’s tourism ministry says it could boost the city’s annual tourism revenue by as much as 68%. Bezos and Sánchez also reportedly donated €1 million each to three local cultural institutions, totaling €3 million.
But for D’Amato, the gesture rang hollow. “They say Bezos donated to Venice,” she said. “But it came only after our protests. That amount is nothing to a billionaire.”
Amazon workers were among those who joined the rally, highlighting the disconnect between Bezos’s wealth and the struggles of everyday employees. “We can barely pay the rent,” said one worker. “We travel far to work in his warehouses. We survive on scraps—we don’t see those millions.”
Marching through the city, demonstrators chanted, “The people united will never be defeated,” echoing old leftist protest songs. Some mocked the couple’s style with signs that read, “Money Can’t Buy Style.” Others carried Amazon boxes marked with slogans like “Rejected” and “No Space for Bezos.”
A colorful array of flags was seen during the protest, including Palestinian flags, LGBTQ+ pride flags, anti-fascist banners, and Venice’s traditional red standard. One version of the iconic golden lion flag was altered to depict the lion in a black balaclava.
City officials, however, condemned the demonstrations, calling them absurd and excessive. In a strongly worded statement, Venice’s municipal government said, “Protesting a wedding— any wedding—is already ridiculous. But this has gone beyond all reason. This is the folklore of saying ‘No’ to everything.”
Despite the city’s official response, protesters maintained that their message was about more than just a wedding—it was a stand against opulence, inequality, and exploitation in a city already burdened by over-tourism and environmental fragility.
