Spanish
Rome, June 23 (EFE).- A huge banner of 400 square meters was unfurled this Monday in St. Mark's Square in Venice by activists protesting against the American billionaire Jeff Bezos, in the context of his imminent wedding with former presenter Lauren Sánchez.
"If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can also pay more taxes," it read in English on the banner, placed by Greenpeace Italy activists and the British group 'Everyone Hates Elon'.
Activists denounced that "the super-rich like Bezos are leading the planet to collapse" with lifestyles "devastating to the environment", while millions of people suffer daily the consequences of the climate crisis.
The 20-by-20-meter canvas with the face of the Amazon founder is the second banner hung in the city against the millionaire, after another one appeared two weeks ago on top of the bell tower of San Giorgio island with Bezos's name crossed out with a large red X.
"Today we protest against an economic and social model that is leading us to collapse," Greenpeace reported in a note, in which they demanded that taxes be imposed on large billionaires, as well as on fossil fuel industries and the defense sector, as an essential measure to "guarantee social and climate justice."
Furthermore, he insisted that "taxing millionaires" would allow the financing of the energy transition and reduce social inequalities.
"People cannot and should not pay for the serious consequences caused by the privileges of a few," he concluded.
This new international protest joins those called by local citizen platforms such as 'No Space For Bezos', which has organized a demonstration for next June 28 with the aim of blocking the access of the guests to the historic center of the city.
The upcoming wedding of Bezos and Sánchez is scheduled between June 26th and 28th, although dates and locations have not yet been publicly confirmed, but a long list of famous guests and private events is expected.
For its part, the Venice City Council downplays the event.
"It's just another wedding, a private act, in private spaces," Tourism Councilor Simone Venturini assured EFE, who warned that the protests could affect the city's image and cause inconvenience to citizens if police intervention is required.
