Thousands of protesters gathered in downtown Venice on Saturday, while Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos and TV presenter Lauren Sanchez peaked with the ultimate gala.

As their guests were preparing to board a sea taxi from their luxury hotels, photographers and journalists were on alert, while a group of Venice residents gathered to protest against the event. Reasons are different: Some oppose over -tourism, others are demonstrating climate change or against capitalism.

During his transition to Harry’s Bar for lunch on Saturday, Bezos was sending kisses to photographers when a local journalist asked him about the protests.

The Venice Deputy Mayor called the activists “narcissists” and assured that marriage represents “high quality tourism” – one that the city needs.

Economic Development Councilor Simone Venturini hopes that “many will want to get married in Venice” in the future, supporting the wedding sector. “We are not Iran,” he told the BBC on the bank of the big channel. “The city cannot impose who will marry or not; we do not have any ‘moral police’ to circulate here.”

The protesters argued that they have already achieved a victory: this year’s event was moved away from the center, to Arsenale, for security reasons – a place easier to guard.

“The main problem is that Venice is becoming as if it is an amusement parc“Paola, a member of the Italian branch of Extinction Rebellion. She enrages her that guests arrived with private jets and argues that the rich in the world are the largest source of pollution.

“Of course mass tourism eats the city alive, but the fact that billionaires use Venice as a place of entertainment is a huge problem“

The Italian media spoke of the “wedding of the year”, filling pages and posts with photos from more than 200 A-League stars that arrived in the city-from Leonardo DiCaprio to Kim Kardashian.

Rumors have been heard about a formal menu with cuttlefish and “Katsarolas” in the evening, while the bridal lace creation of Dolce & Gabbana, inspired by Sophia Loren’s dress in the 1950s, monopolized the eyes.

Despite predictions that the city will freeze, everyday life continues. Ivanka Trump and Bill Gates were found in galleries and other areas, while Bezos and Sanchez were photographed with different sets and in a variety of locations.

Most tourists – and the Venetians – are more likely to meet someone who looks like Bezos, coming from Germany to take a selfie than one of the truly famous guests. Sea taxis and gondolas remain available, without tails or unhappy tourists.

Some roads were temporarily closed around the main points of the event, but any disturbances were minimal. Most of the “No Space for Bezos” placards had already been torn, and local authorities banned slogan projections in buildings.

On Saturday night, it was permitted by the protesters: hundreds walked the city, hung banners from the Rialto Bridge and lit colorful sparklers. Plans to dive into the channels with inflatable crocodiles or prevent guests were abandoned.

The Venetians, however, remain divided. Near the Central Station, police officers check visitors to find out if they have the mandatory daily entry card – a new measure of tourist crowd control. Coffee is full of people sutured and burned by the hot sun.

A few blocks below, 77 -year -old Roberto Zannon will leave his home as his owner sold the building to investors and removes him with his two dogs. “I can’t compete with tourists who pay more,” he says sadly, looking at the wooden doors around his square: “One, two, three are locals; the other doors belong to tourist accommodation. The Venetians are diminishing. You lose friends, you lose a piece of your heart. But, unfortunately, it is inevitable. “

However, Roberto is not particularly concerned about the marriage of a billionaire. He has worked for years in tourism and considers it a “honor” that hosts such famous visitors. “I see it positively.”

In the souvenir store, Leda has the opposite view: “I want others like Bezos to come. Here we only see cheap tourists who spend nothing. This is not needed by Venice. ” She worked alone with quality Italian products, but she was forced to close, as she had to adapt to a very low spending index.

When the ceremony is completed and the guests depart, the deputy mayor recalled that Bezos has donated “about three million euros” to organizations working to protect this fragile city. As for the nearly thirty million that is estimated to enter the Venice Funds from the reception, activists call them a “drop in the lake” for one of the richest people on the planet.

“It’s about three euros for the average person, in proportion to Bezos,” says Lorenzo of Extinction Rebellion. “Very little”.