By Manuel Silvestri
VENICE, July 17 (Reuters) - A few hundred people in Venice protested on Friday against U.S. Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta as he arrived in the lagoon city aboard his superyacht, drawing criticism of President Donald Trump’s policies.
Activists also objected to the heightened security measures put in place by local authorities as Venice prepares for one of its most important festivals.
Fertitta, a billionaire businessman appointed by Trump, is touring the Italian peninsula aboard his 117-metre (384-foot) yacht, Boardwalk, on a “Freedom 250 Coastal Diplomacy Tour” marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
Around 300 people gathered to protest and took part in a march holding up posters with slogans such as “Fertitta must go”, “Make America go away”, “Venice must not be used” or “No space for billionaries”. They approached the part of the historic centre of Venice where the yacht had anchored, Riva dei Sette Martiri, but were stopped from going any further by police, with whom a few minor scuffles broke out.
They also expressed support for the Palestinian people in the occupied territories, accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
Escorted by a tugboat, the gleaming white yacht slowly berthed at Riva dei Sette Martiri, a broad waterfront promenade about a kilometre (half a mile) from St Mark’s Square.
Authorities have tightened security amid concerns over planned demonstrations, set to overlap with the Festa del Redentore.
The ancient celebration commemorates the end of a plague epidemic and will draw thousands of residents and visitors to the lagoon on Saturday for fireworks and religious ceremonies.
Residents of the fragile city have long complained about the impact of mass tourism and Venice’s growing use as a backdrop for high-profile events such as the wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez in June 2025.
Protest organisers including the Morion social centre said they viewed Fertitta as a representative of Trump’s policies, which they said were fuelling conflicts, supporting Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and driving up global economic instability and prices.
Italy’s Green and Left Alliance (AVS) accused the government of diverting hundreds of police from public safety duties to act as “bodyguards” for Fertitta during his tour of Italy, and also urged supporters to protest against U.S. policies.
A series of public disagreements between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — notably when she firmly denied his assertion that she had “begged” for a joint photo at the recent Group of Seven summit — have strained what had been a close relationship.
Fertitta has rejected suggestions of a rift, saying Trump and Meloni have a strong personal rapport.
(Reporting by Manuel Silvestri in Venice, writing by Giselda Vagnoni; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Hugh Lawson)
