Hundreds of protesters gathered in Venice on Friday to demonstrate against the arrival of US Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta, who sailed into the city on his personal superyacht. The 117-meter vessel, valued at an estimated $450 million, loomed over the historic buildings lining the lagoon.

Police boats patrolled the surrounding waters while riot police guarded waterfront access points. Around 300 demonstrators rallied in the historic center, carrying signs reading 'Fertitta must go,' 'Make America Go Away,' 'Venice must not be used,' and 'No space for billionaires.'

Police prevented protesters from approaching the yacht, and tensions briefly escalated. Demonstrators yelled 'Shame!' at the ambassador, the city's mayor, and police officers.

Fertitta's visit is part of the so-called Freedom 250 Coastal Diplomacy tour, a journey across multiple Italian coastal regions aboard his superyacht to mark 250 years of American independence. The ambassador, who has 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.'

Protesters criticized both the ambassador's blatant display of wealth and the policies of the US regime, including the war in Iran. Organizer Stella Morion told the AP: 'It's arrogant to think he can do what he wants in a city that is ever more sold to the single culture of tourism.'

Italian lawmakers Luana Zanella and Angelo Bonelli criticized the extensive security measures, calling it 'sheer madness.' In a joint statement, they said 'hundreds of officers across the country have been turned into his bodyguards, diverted from their duties to serve as a free escort for the U.S. ambassador's private vessel.'

Source: www.dw.com