Hundreds of protesters clashed with riot police in Venice Friday, demonstrating against the arrival of the US ambassador to Italy’s luxury yacht which they decried as an unwelcome display of wealth and influence.

Activists carrying inflatable water toys and beach balls marched behind a banner proclaiming “Venezia non si USA” – a pun meaning “Venice is not to be used” with the USA acronym capitalized.

As they approached a double line of riot police, demonstrators raised their arms in a gesture of peace, but were met with shields when they refused to halt. Inflatable objects flew through the air, and following the brief confrontation, protesters chanted “Shame!” directed at the ambassador, the mayor, and the police.

Coastal diplomacy aboard a super yacht

The protest targeted American ambassador and billionaire Tilman Fertitta, who arrived in Venice earlier that day, mooring his super yacht in St. Mark’s Basin.

His visit is part of a “Coastal Diplomacy 250” tour, marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. Police boats surrounded his yacht, which dwarfed nearby buildings, while a significant police presence monitored the demonstrators, who also displayed signs like “Make America Read Again” and “Oligarch in saor,” referencing a local sardine dish.

Fertitta, a hospitality mogul, described the tour of 13 Italian coastal regions as a celebration of “our shared history, our economic partnership, and the cultural bonds that make the U.S.-Italy relationship so special” in a social media post.

While declining an interview, he issued a statement supporting the right to protest: “I like Italians, we Americans respect freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest; Coastal Diplomacy celebrates our nation’s founding and these fundamental rights.”

Many of the groups protesting Fertitta’s arrival aboard his 117-meter (384-foot) luxury yacht, Boardwalk – equipped with two helipads, swimming pools, and a spa – were the same that demonstrated against Jeff Bezos’s wedding last year.

Organizers unfurled a banner the length of the yacht on July 4, symbolizing what they called “the dimensions of his arrogance.” Organizer Stella Morion told The Associated Press, “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.”

She also linked the protest to President Donald Trump’s international politics, including US strikes on Iran, which she claimed have driven up energy prices.

“It is the umpteenth slap in the face of a city and all of the people in Venice who struggle to reach the end of the month due to an increase in prices caused by Trump’s war,” Morion added.

A hospitality mogul with Italian roots

Fertitta, the billionaire owner of Fertitta Entertainment, made his fortune in hospitality, owning restaurants, hotels, casinos, and the NBA’s Houston Rockets. His official biography lists his net worth at $11.3 billion, placing him among America’s wealthiest.

While details of his Venice meetings remain undisclosed, he is expected to attend the Redentore festival, commemorating the end of the 1576 plague, culminating in fireworks over St. Mark’s Basin. His tour has already included stops in Sicily, where his family roots trace back to 1566, and Calabria, sailing up the Adriatic coast.

Fertitta’s tenure as ambassador coincides with a cooling in relations between Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and Trump, who has launched several social media attacks against her. Meloni, once considered a close political ally in Europe with shared views on issues like immigration, notably did not attend the 250th celebrations at the US Embassy.