Venice activists unfurl massive banner in Piazza San Marco ahead of Bezos wedding

 VENICE – Monday morning activists from Greenpeace Italy and as well as the British action group Everyone Hates Elon unfurled a giant 400-square-meter banner with the words in Piazza San Marco “if you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax” ahead of the wedding of billionaire Jeff Bezos, which will take place in a few days in the lagoon city, according to an official notice from Green Peace. 

 A statement from Simona Abbate, Greenpeace Italy read, "Bezos is the human embodiment of an economic and social model that is leading us towards collapse. More and more often, social injustice goes hand in hand with climate injustice: on the one hand, the arrogance of a few billionaires who have lifestyles that are devastating for the planet, on the other, all the people who suffer the damage of the environmental crisis on a daily basis. The super-rich, the fossil fuel and defence industries are profiting from [the loss of] people's lives. Taxing their enormous profits would be a first step towards the social and climate justice, which we fight for every day."

 A spokesperson for Everyone Hates Elon said, "while governments are talking about having to make difficult choices and struggling to fund public services, Jeff Bezos can afford to close down half the city for days just to celebrate his wedding. A few weeks ago, he spent millions of dollars on a space trip that lasted just 11 minutes. If there was ever a sign that billionaires like Bezos should pay wealth taxes, this is it."

 Until Monday morning, the Greenpeace ship, the Arctic Sunrise, was anchored in the port of Venice to promote “a green and peaceful future based on renewable energy and to denounce the damage that the fossil fuel industry causes to people and the planet.”

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