Venice protests greet US ambassador's $450 million superyacht arrival
Hundreds demonstrated and clashed with police as Ambassador Tilman Fertitta brought his 117-metre Boardwalk to Venice for the Festa del Redentore, part of a 'Freedom 250' tour marking US independence.
Arrival of the superyacht
On Friday, US Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta sailed into Venice aboard his 117-metre yacht Boardwalk, a vessel valued at $450 million. The gleaming white ship, escorted by a tugboat and coast guard vessels, berthed at Riva dei Sette Martiri around 11:40 am. Fertitta, dressed casually in a light T-shirt and dark cap, watched from the third deck with his wife Lauren and friends. The stop is part of his "Freedom 250 Coastal Diplomacy Tour," a cruise along the Italian peninsula marking the 250th anniversary of US independence, which runs from 20 June to 28 August.
Protests and clashes
By late afternoon, several hundred demonstrators gathered at Campo San Zaccaria, carrying a banner reading "Venezia non si Usa" (Venice is not to be used). Organisers from the Morion social centre and other groups chanted slogans against President Donald Trump and his administration's policies in the Middle East. As the march moved toward the yacht, it was blocked by a cordon of riot police at the entrance to Via Garibaldi. Tensions flared for about ten minutes, with pushing, insults, and smoke bombs. Some reports described a brief police charge lasting a couple of minutes. The crowd, estimated at 250 to over 500 depending on the source, eventually regrouped and proceeded to the Giardini di Castello. Police also guarded the yacht from the water.
- Yacht Boardwalk arrives at Riva dei Sette Martiri
- Protesters gather at Campo San Zaccaria
- March begins toward yacht, blocked by riot police at Via Garibaldi
- Clashes erupt; police charge briefly
- Protesters regroup and move to Giardini di Castello
Political backlash over security costs
The heavy security deployment drew criticism from opposition lawmakers. Deputies Angelo Bonelli and Luana Zanella of the Green and Left Alliance (AVS) filed a parliamentary question demanding to know who would bear the costs. Vice Minister Valerio Valentini responded that under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, Italy is obliged to protect the ambassador's person, freedom, and dignity, including his temporary residence, the yacht. He confirmed that the security detail comprised 50 mobile police units, Guardia di Finanza specialists, and military anti-drone assets. Bonelli accused the government of diverting hundreds of officers from public safety to act as "bodyguards" for Fertitta.
Italy is required to adopt all appropriate measures to prevent any attack on his person, freedom or dignity.
A city under pressure
The visit has reignited long-standing frustrations in Venice over mass tourism and the use of the fragile lagoon city as a backdrop for high-profile events, such as Jeff Bezos's wedding in June 2025. The ambassador's arrival coincides with the Festa del Redentore, an ancient celebration commemorating the end of a plague epidemic, which will draw thousands to the lagoon on Saturday evening for fireworks and religious ceremonies. Fertitta has said he plans to attend the fireworks. The protests also unfolded against a backdrop of strained relations between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, after she denied his claim that she had "begged" for a photo at the recent G7 summit. Fertitta dismissed any rift, saying the two leaders have a strong personal rapport.
