When the US envoy to Italy embarked on a two-month summer tour intended to “connect with the Italian people”, he probably did not expect to be greeted by hundreds of protesters when he arrived in Venice.
Tilman Fertitta described his privately funded Freedom 250 Coastal Diplomacy tour as a “celebration of our shared history, our economic partnership, and the cultural bonds that make the US – Italy relationship so special”.
However, this view was not shared by the approximately 300 demonstrators who took to the streets of Venice on Friday to protest against the arrival of the Trump-appointed billionaire ambassador aboard his private superyacht.
The 117-metre Boardwalk, valued at approximately $450 million, was escorted by a tugboat and moored at Riva dei Sette Martiri, about one kilometre from St Mark’s Square. The vessel towered over some of the historic buildings bordering the lagoon.
Protesters carried signs reading “Fertitta must go”, “Make America Go Away”, and “No space for billionaires”.
3/4 'VENICE IS NOT FOR SALE'
— The Wonk (@thewonkin) July 20, 2026
Italian police sealed off parts of waterfront to stop demonstrators from reaching the yacht
Protesters waved banners reading "Venezia non si USA", criticizing growing influence of U.S. political & economic elites
buona domenica 梅雨明け 智弁学園 pic.twitter.com/prPtWx8xsf
Police boats patrolled the surrounding waters while riot police guarded access to the waterfront. Officers prevented demonstrators from approaching the yacht, leading to brief scuffles with protesters yelling “shame” at the police.
Luana Zanella, president of the Left Alliance (AVS) group in the Italian parliament, and Angelo Bonelli, Green Party co-spokesperson, criticised the use of police resources, calling it “sheer madness”. In a joint statement, they said that hundreds of officers across the country, from Palermo to Ravenna and from Catania to Ancona, had been turned into Fertitta’s bodyguards and diverted from their duties to serve as a free escort for the US ambassador’s private vessel.
The protest was organised by local activist groups, including the Morion social centre, which also participated in demonstrations against Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s lavish wedding in Venice in 2025.
Ravenna welcomed us with the warmth, friendship, and spirit that have defined every stop along our #CoastalDiplomacy journey.
— Ambassador Tilman J. Fertitta (@USAmbItaly) July 18, 2026
It was a pleasure to celebrate #Freedom250 aboard M/Y Boardwalk alongside Mayor Alessandro Barattoni, Prefect Raffaele Ricciardi, president of port… pic.twitter.com/ehGE4jhdUQ
“It’s arrogant to think he can do what he wants in a city that’s increasingly being sold to the single culture of tourism,” organiser Stella Morion told the Associated Press. She described the ambassador’s arrival as yet another “slap in the face” for residents who are struggling to cope with rising living costs.
Venice is the only city where Fertitta has been met with protests so far. He has already visited Naples, Vibo Marina, Palermo, Gallipoli and Bari, as well as Cefalú in Sicily, where his grandparents lived before emigrating to the United States around a century ago. Today, more than 16 million Americans identify as having Italian ancestry.
In Venice, Fertitta is expected to attend the Festa del Redentore, one of the city’s oldest and most beloved traditions.
One of the 100 wealthiest people in the United States, Fertitta has an estimated net worth of $11.3 billion. He built his fortune through restaurants, hotels and casinos and owns the Houston Rockets basketball team.
A long-time friend and supporter of US President Donald Trump, Fertitta was appointed ambassador to Italy in 2025. His coastal tour comes as relations between Washington and Rome have shown signs of strain following a series of public disagreements between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, once regarded as one of his closest European allies. Fertitta, however, has rejected suggestions of a rift and maintains that the two leaders retain a strong personal relationship.
Venice is also currently hosting the 61st Art Biennale, which has faced protests since opening in May. The Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA), one of the groups behind the demonstrations, organised a rally at Campo San Zaccaria to coincide with Fertitta’s arrival, describing it as an extension of its campaign “from the Biennale to the streets”.
Separately, the Morion social centre unfurled a 117-metre-long banner along the Riva dei Sette Martiri, the same length as Fertitta’s yacht, bearing the words “Venezia non si USA” (Venice must not be used).
