Venice braces for protest over US ambassador's Redentore yacht visit
Venetian activists are organising protests against the US ambassador's plan to dock his 117-metre superyacht in the city centre during the Festa del Redentore, a move residents say encapsulates the damaging impact of billionaire tourism on local life.
US Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta is facing protests over plans to bring his 117-metre superyacht to Venice on 17 July. The visit is part of a tour along the Italian coastline dubbed “Coastal Diplomacy 250”, intended to celebrate ties between Rome and Washington.
Local activists fear the vessel will dock in the historical centre during the Festa del Redentore. The festival, which marks the end of a 16th-century plague that killed more than 50,000 people, is one of Venice's most important traditions. “Redentore is one of the few occasions that still belongs to the people of Venice,” said Stella Faye, a 28-year-old activist.
Fertitta’s vessel, named Boardwalk, is a 32-metre-high, six-deck yacht valued at $450m, equipped with two helipads and two swimming pools. According to Venezia Terminal Passeggeri, the most central mooring spots for a boat of this size are off the Punta della Dogana or along the Riva dei Sette Martiri. Its presence would physically obstruct a primary viewing area for locals during the fireworks display.
The planned docking has reignited frustrations over Venice's economic model, where a lack of affordable housing and a reliance on precarious hospitality jobs have eroded residents' quality of life. “The city letting this yacht come to Venice would be a slap in the face for Venetians,” said Giulia Cacopardo, a 29-year-old cultural coordinator. “In a city where quality of life is in tatters because there’s nowhere to live and only precarious jobs, we have billionaires thinking they can do whatever they want.”
Demonstrators are preparing tactics similar to those used against Jeff Bezos’s wedding last June, where threats to fill the canals with inflatable crocodiles forced a last-minute venue change. “We ruined the party for Jeff Bezos’s wedding last year – this year let’s ruin the ambassador’s tour!” Faye told a meeting of about 40 people. The protesters have adopted the slogan “Venezia non si USA”, linking their opposition to Fertitta’s role in Donald Trump’s administration.
Fertitta, who owns the Houston Rockets and has an estimated net worth of $14.2bn, helped fund Trump’s 2024 campaign. The controversy unfolds against a backdrop of diplomatic friction between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, following a public dispute at June's G7 summit. Fertitta downplayed the tensions in a Wednesday interview with Sky TG24, insisting the two leaders were “totally on the same page”.
Activists also raised safety concerns, arguing that local police would prioritise protecting the ambassador over managing the massive crowds. “This isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s a danger to the public,” Faye said. The US embassy in Rome and the Venice port authority have been contacted for comment.
