Venice protest planned for US ambassador’s superyacht visit

Protesters in Venice are planning to disrupt a visit by the billionaire US ambassador to Italy in his 117-metre superyacht, which they fear he plans to dock in the lagoon city. “We ruined the party for Jeff Bezos’s wedding last year – this year let’s ruin the ambassador’s tour!” said Stella Faye, a 28-year-old researcher and activist, at a meeting of about 40 demonstrators on Thursday. In June last year, the ostentatious wedding of the Amazon founder and Lauren Sánchez was disrupted by Venetians protesting against what they saw as the takeover of their city by someone with enough money to do so. Now the ambassador Tilman Fertitta can expect a similar welcome after it was revealed he plans to visit Venice with his personal superyacht on 17 July as part of a cruise around Italy’s coastline to celebrate ties between Rome and Washington and the 250th anniversary of US independence – a tour he has called “Coastal Diplomacy 250”. One person suggested, to a round of laughter, “bringing back the crocodiles” – a reference to protesters’ threat last year to fill the canals with inflatable crocodiles, which forced the Bezos-Sánchez wedding reception to change venue at the last minute. Aerial map showing locations in Venice, including Grand Canal, St Mark’s Square, Punta della Dogana, Giudecca canal and Riva dei Sette Martiri. …