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Jeff Bezos’s upcoming wedding to Lauren Sánchez in Venice is sparking a fierce backlash, as locals accuse the billionaire of hijacking their city for a private spectacle. With plans to occupy the entire island of San Giorgio from June 23 to 28, activists have launched the “No Space for Bezos” campaign, protesting what they call a deepening crisis of overtourism. Banners now hang across iconic landmarks as residents push back against rising rents and vanishing public space. While Venice struggles under the weight of 20 million annual tourists, Mayor Luigi Brugnaro dismissed the outrage, calling protestors “just 20 people with posters.” But many feel the city’s being sold off, one luxury event at a time.
