Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez wedding leaves Venice divided

Venetians have mixed feelings over the Amazon founder's lavish three-day party in their city.

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But as their celebrity guests were preparing to step into water taxis from their luxury hotels, paparazzi poised, a crowd of some Venetians gathered to protest against the big event.

Their causes are varied, from locals opposed to over-tourism in a delicate city, to activists protesting against climate change and capitalism.

Hundreds marched through the city on Saturday, hanging a "no space for Bezos" banner from the Rialto bridge and setting off multicoloured flares. But plans to launch themselves into the city's canals with inflatable crocodiles and block the wedding guests' passage were dropped.

Spotted heading into Harry's Bar for lunch on Saturday, Bezos blew kisses towards the cameras when a local journalist asked what he made of the protests.