The 61-year-old billionaire, the 3rd richest man in the world, left his wife to marry a new lover, residents were angry and protested!

The lavish wedding of a 61-year-old billionaire in the heart of Venice faced chaos when the city’s residents announced they would release inflatable crocodiles to block the entrance to welcome guests.

Billionaire Jeff Bezos’s wedding in Venice had to be moved at the last minute, not because of rain or security concerns, but because of inflatable crocodiles. This was a protest by the “No Space for Bezos” group, who did not accept that a wealthy individual would turn the entire city into a stage for his wedding.

The lavish wedding between the Amazon founder and his fiancée, former TV presenter Lauren Sánchez, was originally scheduled to take place at the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, a magnificent 16th-century building in the heart of Venice. But activists vowed to release inflatable crocodiles into the canals surrounding the venue, turning the entrance into a “swamp” that would block the way for a star-studded guest list that included Elon Musk, Kim Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio and Ivanka Trump.

The result: the wedding venue was moved to the Arsenale – an old shipyard complex surrounded by walls, more private and less accessible to protesters. Although local officials cited security reasons, many believe social pressure and “crocodiles” were the real cause.

The 61-year-old billionaire, the 3rd richest man in the world, left his wife to get married to a new lover, residents were angry and protested! - Photo 1.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his fiancee. Photo: The Guardian

Although the exact date has not been released, local media reports say the wedding will take place over three days, starting Thursday with an exchange of vows at the church of San Giorgio Maggiore on the island of St. George. The main reception will be held on Saturday, with about 200 guests and nearly 100 private jets landing at Venice airport.

Earlier, groups like Greenpeace Italia and “Everyone Hates Elon” had joined in with a giant banner in St Mark’s Square: a smiling Bezos with the bold slogan “If you can rent out Venice for your wedding, you can pay more taxes.” Along the street were posters of Jeff Bezos’s head mounted on a rocket, a jab at his space program Blue Origin.

The 61-year-old billionaire, the 3rd richest man in the world, left his wife to get married to a new lover, residents were angry and protested! - Photo 2.

Protest banners carried by Venetian residents to the square. Photo: The Guardian

The “No Space for Bezos” movement protested the idea of ​​turning Venice, a world heritage site already suffering from tourism, into a runway for the super-rich. “Someone renting the whole city for three days? That’s disgusting,” said one activist. While they failed to stop the wedding, they still considered forcing Bezos to change his plans a victory.

While Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro denounced the protesters as “shameful ,” the mayor of Soàve, a town of just 7,000 people, was quick to seize the opportunity. He invited the couple to get married in his hometown: “Venice is unique, but getting married in the most beautiful village in Italy is not so bad.”