Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding: Venice protestors float Amazon founder's dummy in canals, slam 'private city' celebration

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez arrived in Venice, Italy, on Wednesday for their star-studded weekend wedding, which has mobilised various groups of protesters.

With the most awaited wedding of the year expected to draw a high-profile guest list and lavish spending, the event has already triggered protests, sparked venue changes and raised questions about wealth, privilege and environmental impact.

Amidst this, a viral video has surfaced on social media where a local is seen floating a dummy of Jeff Bezos in the Venice canals ahead of the wedding.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding | Credit: @popcrave

Protesters float a dummy of Jeff Bezos in the Venice canals ahead of his wedding

Amid the ongoing protests, one video surfaced on social media that has grabbed the attention of netizens. The clip shared by a Reddit user @pandorasblog has sparked discussions online.

The now viral video shows protestors floating a dummy of Jeff Bezos on an Amazon box through the canals of Venice ahead of his wedding. According to reports, the local unrest and backlash may have forced the couple to change the wedding venue.

Protesters float dummy of Jeff Bezos in Venice canals ahead of wedding: Reports suggest the wedding has been forced to change location as a result of the unrest from the locals.
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Reacting to the clip, a user wrote, "The protestors are so creative!"

Another added, "It¡¯s ironic that there will be citizens that are mad at the locals because doing this might cost them money from the Bozo wedding. But screw those guys; keep protesting this bullshit!"

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"We should take courage and inspiration from each other and push ourselves to greater and more creative or ridiculous action," one said.

One added, "How could you have an entire city protesting your presence and not have that lead to some serious self-reflection?"

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"There was room on the Amazon box for Jack and Rose I fear."

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Venue location change amid security concerns

Originally, the lavish wedding was set to host part of their wedding celebration in Venice's bustling Cannaregio district at the historic Scuola Grande della Misericordia, but later the venue location was suddenly changed as Bezos and Sanchez shifted their plans.

Due to the mounting protests and safety concerns, the couple shifted their venue to Arsenale, a 14th-century shipyard complex in the more isolated Castello district.

Inflatable crocodiles, canal blockades and more

According to reports, the activist groups, including Greenpeace, Everyone Hates Elon, and several local organisations, have staged multiple demonstrations around Venice. According to The Guardian, one protester said, "We feel as if we scored a victory," as they threatened to block the canal access with inflatable crocodiles to prevent guests from arriving at the venue.

Credit: X | @BarkJack_

The crocodile initiative risked portraying the city negatively, which is why the venue was changed, even if officials may argue it was due to the war, reported The Guardian.

Why are locals protesting ahead of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding?

According to Sky News, protests do not have an issue with the marriage itself, but they have a problem with the "privatisation" and "exploitation" of the city.

The group is made up of about a dozen Venetian organisations, including housing activists, anti-cruise ship advocates and university groups, and its name is a wordplay that also alludes to the bride¡¯s recent trip to space.

As per the report, the protestors say the event will close parts of the city and make it difficult for the locals to get around, as well as pose environmental concerns with the use of yachts in the canals.

They say this is not what Venice needs, and the city is already suffering from overtourism. The city has long struggled with high tourism numbers. The protests are also connected to broader concerns about affordable housing and the declining number of residents in Venice¡¯s historic centre.