Venice protests US ambassador's superyacht arrival during Redentore festival

Around 300 protesters clashed with police in Venice on Friday as US Ambassador Tilman Fertitta arrived aboard his $450 million superyacht, the Boardwalk, during the city's Redentore festival Source: CNN. Demonstrators carried signs reading "Venice not for sale" and "Venezia non si USA" (Venice is not to be used), and some threw inflatable toys at police Source: Euronews. The protest was organized by local activists who denounced what they see as the growing commercialization of the city and the policies of President Donald Trump Source: Infobae.

Context and Criticism

Fertitta, a billionaire Trump donor and owner of the Houston Rockets, is on a "Freedom 250 Coastal Diplomacy Tour" to celebrate the 250th anniversary of US independence, visiting 13 Italian ports Source: El País. The arrival coincided with the Redentore festival, a major local celebration, which heightened tensions. Italian opposition politicians criticized the use of public resources for security, with Angelo Bonelli of the Green and Left Alliance demanding Parliament investigate costs and calling for the bill to be sent to Trump Source: El País.

Reactions

The CGIL union's Venice secretary, Daniele Giordano, called the superyacht's presence "a shame" during the festival Source: CNN. Organizer Stella Morion stated the protest also opposed Trump's international policies, including US strikes on Iran Source: Euronews. Fertitta responded with a statement supporting the right to peaceful protest .