When US Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta arrived in Venice on Friday aboard his luxury superyacht, he was greeted by several hundred protesters.
Fertitta’s yacht, which is 117 meters long (384 ft) and worth an estimated $450 million (€393 million), looms over the historic buildings lining the lagoon.
Police boats continued to patrol the surrounding waters, while riot police stood guard at access points to the shore.
About 300 protesters attended the rally in the city’s historic center, holding signs reading “Fertitta must go,” “Shoot America away,” “Venice must not be used” and “No place for billionaires.”
Police stopped the protesters from going near the boat and tension increased for some time. Protesters began shouting “Shame!” On the ambassador, the city mayor and police officers.
An ambassador boat trip throughout Italy
Fertitta’s trip to Venice is part of the so-called Freedom 250 Coastal Diplomacy Travel, visiting several Italian coastal areas aboard his superyacht.
Fertitta, who is of Sicilian heritage, described the initiative as a celebration of “our shared history, our economic partnership and the cultural bonds that make the US-Italy relationship so special.”
Although details of his meetings in Venice have not been made public, he is expected to attend the city’s century-old Festa del Redentore on Saturday. The festival attracts thousands of visitors for religious ceremonies and fireworks displays.
Who is US Ambassador Tilman Fertitta?
According to the US Embassy in Italy, Fertitta is personally financing the trip.
Fertitta is one of the 100 richest people in America, with a net worth of $11.3 billion. He made his fortune by managing restaurants, hotels, and casinos and currently also owns Houston’s basketball team.
Although he has little in the way of political experience, Fertitta has long supported Republican causes and donated to President Donald Trump’s Save America PAC.
His appointment as envoy to Italy was part of Trump’s pattern of choosing donors and allies for ambassadorial posts in Europe.
Anger over money, politics and security
On Friday, activists protested against the Trump administration’s policies, including the war in Iran, along with an open display of the ambassador’s wealth.
“It’s arrogant to think he can do whatever he wants in a city that sells more to the monoculture of tourism,” organizer Stella Morian told the AP. “This is an untold slap in the face to a city and all of Venice that was struggling to make ends meet because of Trump’s war-mongering price increases.”
Last year, several groups protested against the marriage of Amazon chief Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez.
During Fertitta’s visit, criticism also focused on the extensive security measures deployed by Italian authorities.
Luana Zanella, leader of the left coalition in the Italian parliament, and Green Party co-spokesman Angelo Bonelli criticized the use of police resources, calling it “sheer madness”.
“Hundreds of officers across the country – from Palermo to Ravenna, Catania to Ancona – have been turned into his bodyguards, removed from their duties to serve as free escorts for the US ambassador’s personal ship,” the representatives said. said in a joint statement.
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Edited by Shawn Sinico