When they booked Venice for their wedding later this month, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez will have dreamt of being greeted by the sight of gondolas and bell towers.
But as these pictures show, the happy couple must also be prepared for a noisier, less friendly welcome in the ‘serene city’.
With a fortnight to go, Left-wing protesters and some locals are already making their feelings clear about the glitzy three-day event taking place on their doorstep in La Serenissima.
Activists have put up banners around the historic city denouncing the ceremony, which is said to be costing £7million. Some have occupied the bell tower of a landmark church said to be one of the possible wedding venues.
A huge banner bearing the name of the Amazon tycoon, struck out with a red cross, was hung from the tower of the Basilica of San Giorgio. The church and its buildings occupy the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, which Mr Bezos and Ms Sanchez are rumoured to be taking over for the big day.
Activists have put up banners around Venice including the Giorgio Bell Tower denouncing the ceremony, which is said to be costing £7million
Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos are reportedly set to tie the knot in an lavish Italian wedding in June, with A-listers, politicians, and business leaders expected to descend upon Venice
Dream location: San Giorgio church is said to be a wedding venue for Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez
A video released by a protest group calling itself ‘No Space For Bezos’ showed members hanging up the banner. They said on their website: ‘Venice is not for sale… it is not for rent, it is not the backdrop for the wedding of one of the richest men in the world.’
They called Mr Bezos ‘an oligarch whose business is responsible for a disproportionate amount of emissions’, adding: ‘Those who expect a docile and servile Venice, intent on collecting the crumbs that fall from the king’s table, will be disappointed.’
Venetians have accused the billionaire, 61, of turning their home into a ‘playground’ for the ultra-wealthy, with many of the city’s luxury hotels and water taxis expected to be booked out by the celebrity guests. Posters put up throughout the city include an image of Bezos’s head on top of a rocket with the slogan: ‘No space for Bezos, No space for oligarchs!’
Another protest group, Laboratorio Occupato Morion, has warned there will be a protest on the day of the wedding – which is reportedly taking place between June 24 and 26.
Politicians, business leaders and celebrities including the Kardashians and actress Eva Longoria are expected to attend, which will mean closed pathways, canals and airspace, and a strong police presence.
