Venice activists prepare protests against US ambassador's superyacht visit
Activists in Venice are planning to disrupt the visit of US Ambassador to Italy Tillman Fertitta, who is due to arrive on his 117-meter superyacht on July 17 during a major local festival. They argue the yacht will overshadow the traditional Redentore celebrations and symbolize the exploitation of the city by the wealthy.
Venetian protesters are gearing up to disrupt the visit of US Ambassador to Italy, billionaire Tillman Fertitta, scheduled for July 17. He will arrive on his 117-meter superyacht "Boardwalk," reportedly worth $450 million, as part of a tour called "Coastal Diplomacy 250" celebrating US-Italy ties and the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Activists, who successfully disrupted Jeff Bezos' wedding last year, aim to repeat their success. Stella Fey, a 28-year-old researcher and activist, told a meeting of about 40 demonstrators on Thursday: "We ruined Jeff Bezos' wedding last year – this year we will ruin the ambassador's tour!"
The main concern is that Fertitta's six-deck, 32-meter-high yacht, equipped with two helipads and swimming pools, will dock in Venice's historic center during the Redentore festival, one of the city's most important traditional events. The festival features a temporary floating bridge between the main island and the Giudecca island, and a spectacular fireworks display on Saturday evening.
"Redentore is one of the few events that still belongs to the residents of Venice," Fey noted. Protesters fear the yacht will block views and create security issues, diverting police resources from ensuring the smooth running of the festival.
They have adopted the slogan "Venezia non si USA" ("Stop using Venice"), highlighting anger at what they see as the exploitation of the city by the rich and powerful. Particular ire is directed at Fertitta's role in what they call the "war-colonialist" Trump administration. Fertitta, who owns the Houston Rockets NBA team and has a net worth of $14.2 billion, helped fund Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.
The visit comes amid strained relations between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who publicly disputed Trump's claim that she had "begged" for a photo with him at the G7 summit. Trump then escalated the dispute, saying Meloni wanted to boost her ratings through friendship with him.
