Amazon boss Jeff Bezos and bride to be Lauren Sanchez’s have been forced to change one of the venues for their £36million Venice wedding because of ‘rising global tensions’ it was claimed today.
Bezos and Sanchez nuptials has already attracted huge controversy with protests planned by locals angry at the couple for ‘taking over the city’ for the planned three day festivities.
A team of former US marines has already been hired to provide security for the event by Bezos, which is due to take place over three days from June 26 in the iconic lagoon city.
The original plan was for a huge party at the Scuola Grande della Misericordia on Saturday night but it has now been moved to another venue in the Arsenale area of the city, according to local media.
Il Gazzettino said the days leading to wedding would be ‘tension filled’ and the move to the venue was due to it being ‘easier to control’ as large scale protests are expected.
But they also added ‘the winds of war and rising global tensions between the US and Iran’ were also being taken into consideration – there is a large American airbase at Aviano just 50 miles away.
On Tuesday a meeting is due to take place between local authorities and police and security teams to discuss the wedding which has been greeted with fury by many Venetians.
Meanwhile on Monday Greenpeace activists unfurled a huge banner in St Mark’s Square, the iconic heart of Venice protesting against the wedding.
It showed an image of Bezos face and the slogan: ‘If you can rent Venice for your wedding then you can pay more tax.’
Activists from British group ‘Everyone Hates Elon’ were also involved and said they had carried it out to highlight the ‘environmental and social injustice of the wedding’.
One said: ‘Bezos encapsulates an economic and social model which is steering us towards collapse.
‘All to often now social injustice travels on an equal par with the climate, on one side the arrogance of a few billionaires who have a lifestyle that devastates the planet, the other people who suffer daily from the environment crisis.’
Venice tourism council lot Simone Venturini told MailOnline: ‘Venice is honored to host a private event like Jeff Bezos’s wedding, chosen from destinations around the world for its singular beauty and character.
‘This celebration highlights our city’s international appeal and its capacity to welcome high-profile events with both discretion and efficiency.
‘The objections voiced by a few dozen professional protesters—driven solely by a desire for media attention—do not represent the spirit of Venice; they reflect little more than social envy.
‘Venice has always been—and remains—open, welcoming, and respectful, ready to embrace every visitor who honors our city’s heritage.
‘Each year we host hundreds of events and celebrations, many of which have an even greater impact on everyday life.
‘Those who bring investment, create jobs, and bolster Venice’s global standing will always be welcome here.
‘We will continue to strive for a city that balances hospitality with the protection of its unique heritage, guided by both vision and equilibrium.
‘Our heartfelt thanks to Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez for their decision to donate substantial sums to organisations dedicated to safeguarding and protecting our lagoon.
‘Now that’s a genuine act of love for the city, unlike those contrived protests’.
The wedding is being organised by London based planners Lanza and Baucina who were not immediately available for comment.
On its website the firm describes itself as ‘leaders in global event, creation, design and management’.
It adds: ‘With experience ranging from royal and A list celebrity weddings to ground breaking productions in extraordinary and uncharted locations.
‘Established in 2000 we have worked on every continent and are responsible for masterminding the world’s most exclusive private and spectacular parties.
‘Discretion is paramount to us. We have no social media presence and no examples of previous work are published.’
The company were behind the wedding of George and Amal Clooney in 2014.
Bezos, 61, is the world’s third richest person with an estimated with of $221 billion and is the founder of Amazon and space tech firm Blue Origin.
Hundreds of high-profile guests including members of the Trump family, Katie Perry, Oprah Winfrey and Kim Kardashian are expected to attend and the wedding will take over the island of San Giorgio opposite the iconic St Mark’s Square.
Campaign group No Space for Bezos has organised a huge protest for next Saturday with demonstrators being encouraged to bring googles and inflatables so they can dive into canals and disrupt taxis ferrying guests.
On its social media the group says: ‘Jeff Bezos and his clique of super rich people are not welcome in Venice’ adding that the city cannot be ‘a showcase for the elite’.
Conversely a pro Bezos campaign group called ‘Yes, Venice can’ has formed in recent days welcoming the wedding for bringing funds and publicity to the city.
A source at Venice City Council told MailOnline: ‘The provision has been made for a venue change but this is a private matter, and a final decision will be made at the last minute.
‘It all depends on the level of protest and the Arsenale is a much easier area to secure as it is walled off and enclosed.’
