Protesters Make Waves as Jeff Bezos’ Wedding Hits Venice

Intermediate | June 27, 2025

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Venice Hosts a Star-Studded Wedding… and Protests!

A Celebrity Event Meets Local Outrage

So, guess what? Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder, is getting married in Venice, Italy, this week! It’s a really big, fancy event with lots of famous people. But it’s not just parties and gondolas. There have also been some protests happening.

Greenpeace Takes a Stand

Greenpeace, the environmental group, joined local activists to speak out. On Monday, they put up a large banner in St. Mark’s Square. It had a picture of Bezos and said, “IF YOU CAN RENT VENICE FOR YOUR WEDDING YOU CAN PAY MORE TAX.”

Why Are People Protesting?

Inequality and Unfairness

The protests aren’t against the wedding itself, but what it represents. Activists are concerned about the big difference between very rich people, like billionaires, and everyone else. They want billionaires and large companies, like Amazon, to pay more taxes.

Locals Speak Up

A group called “No Space for Bezos” is also protesting. This group includes people who live in Venice, like housing activists and university students. They are worried about too many tourists in their city and feel that the city cares more about rich visitors than local residents’ needs.

Creative Demonstrations

Protesters have done different things to show their feelings. Besides the banner, some activists put a mannequin of Bezos floating in a canal on an Amazon box filled with fake money. The local groups had even planned to block canals with boats, but they changed their plan to a march after the wedding party venue was reportedly moved to a place easier to secure.

Jeff Bezos Venice Wedding Protest Becomes a Global Talking Point

This Jeff Bezos Venice wedding protest drew international media attention, not just because of the high-profile wedding, but because of the growing public frustration around income inequality and the impact of luxury events on historic cities like Venice.

Venice’s mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, said the city is proud to host the wedding, calling it an honor. He believes it will bring a lot of money to the city. But the protesters argue that the event highlights bigger issues like wealth inequality and the challenges Venice faces with overtourism and housing.

Vocabulary

Protest (verb/noun): To show that you are against something, often in a public way.
- Example: “People decided to protest the new law.”
Billionaire (noun): A person who has money or property worth at least one billion dollars, pounds, euros, etc.
- Example: “Jeff Bezos is a famous billionaire.”
Inequality (noun): The unfair difference between groups of people in society, for example, when some people have a lot more money than others.
- Example: “The protest aimed to highlight wealth inequality.”
Lavish (adjective): Very luxurious and expensive.
- Example: “The wedding was a lavish event.”
Galvanized (verb): To make someone feel so excited about something that they want to do something about it.
- Example: “The event galvanized activists to take action.”
Disparity (noun): A difference between two or more things, especially an unfair one.
- Example: “There is a growing disparity between rich and poor.”
Prioritization (noun): The process of deciding which things are most important and need to be dealt with first.
- Example: “Activists criticized the city’s prioritization of tourism.”
Unfurl (verb): To unroll or spread out something that is rolled up, like a flag or banner.
- Example: “They unfurled a banner in the square.”
Confiscated (verb): To officially take something away from someone, usually as a punishment or because they have broken a rule or law.
- Example: “The police confiscated the banner.”
Exemplifies (verb): To be a typical example of something.
- Example: “The wedding, for some, exemplifies the problems of overtourism.”

Discussion Questions (About the Article)

What were the main reasons Greenpeace and other groups protested Jeff Bezos’ wedding in Venice?
What specific message was on the banner that Greenpeace put up in St. Mark’s Square?
Who is part of the “No Space for Bezos” group, and what are their local concerns about the wedding and tourism?
Besides the banner, what other actions did the protesters take?
How did the mayor of Venice react to the wedding and the protests?

Discussion Questions (About the Topic)

Do you think it is appropriate for people to protest private events like a wedding?
What are some possible reasons for the growing gap between the very rich and ordinary people?
How does overtourism affect cities like Venice, and what could be done about it?
Why do you think activists want billionaires to pay more taxes?
What does it mean to treat a city like a “private ballroom,” as one activist said?

Related Idiom

“Making waves”

Meaning: To cause excitement or trouble.
Example: “The protesters are certainly “making waves” in Venice this week.”

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This article was inspired by: The Korea Herald, Date: June 24, 2025