Clashes in Venice as protesters confront US ambassador's superyacht on 'Freedom 250' tour

Arrival of the Boardwalk

The 117-metre superyacht Boardwalk, flying the Cayman Islands flag, entered the Venice lagoon shortly before noon on 17 July. Escorted by a tugboat, Italian Coast Guard vessels, and police on jet skis, the gleaming white yacht berthed at Riva dei Sette Martiri, about a kilometre from St Mark's Square. On the third deck, US Ambassador Tilman Fertitta, dressed in a light T-shirt and dark cap, watched the approach with his wife Lauren and friends. The stop is part of the "Freedom 250 Coastal Diplomacy tour", a two-month voyage marking the 250th anniversary of US independence that will visit 13 Italian cities and coastal resorts. Fertitta, a billionaire businessman who owns the Houston Rockets, has been inviting political, business and military leaders aboard the vessel, which features a swimming pool, minigolf course and helipads.

Protests and clashes

The arrival drew several hundred demonstrators to the waterfront. Organised by the Morion social centre under the slogan "Venezia non si Usa" ("Venice is not to be used"), protesters chanted against US policies in the Middle East, Iran and Gaza. Organisers said they viewed Fertitta as a representative of Trump's policies, which they argued were fuelling conflicts, supporting Israel's military campaign in Gaza and driving up global economic instability and prices. As some tried to push closer to the yacht, brief scuffles broke out with helmeted police who had been deployed to guard the berth. Local media footage showed officers holding back the crowd.

A city under pressure

It is a shame that Venice welcomes the mega yacht of US ambassador Tilman Fertitta in the heart of the city for the Redentore festival. A 117-metre vessel worth hundreds of millions of dollars, moored at Riva dei Sette Martiri, represents the exact opposite of our idea of environmental and social sustainability.

Giordano, secretary of the CGIL trade union in Venice, added that the city's claim to be a "capital of sustainability" rang hollow when money could override principles.

Sustainability cannot be reduced to a slogan or a brand to be displayed at conferences. It means environmental protection, but also quality of work, the right to housing and the possibility for those who work to live decently in their own city.

Residents have long complained about mass tourism and Venice's 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 called the yacht's arrival another "slap" to residents who can no longer afford to live in the city.

Security costs under fire

Opposition lawmakers have seized on the tour's security bill. The Green and Left Alliance (AVS) accused the government of diverting hundreds of police from public safety duties to act as "bodyguards" for the ambassador. Deputy Industry Minister Valentino Valentini declined to estimate the cost but insisted Italy was bound by the Vienna Convention to protect foreign envoys.

Rome is obliged, under the Vienna Convention, to guarantee the security, freedom and dignity of foreign ambassadors in Italy, including through the provision of a special guard if necessary.

The Financial Times put the story on the front page of its European edition under the headline "Porto in tempesta: lo yacht del diplomatico statunitense irrita l'Italia" ("Stormy port: US diplomat's yacht irritates Italy"). The newspaper noted that neither Fertitta, the US embassy in Rome nor the State Department had commented on the criticism.

Diplomatic backdrop

The tour takes place as relations between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have been strained. Meloni recently rejected Trump's claim that she had "begged" for a joint photograph at the Group of Seven summit. Fertitta has played down any rift, saying the two leaders enjoy a strong personal rapport. The Redentore festival, which commemorates the end of a 16th-century plague, will culminate with fireworks over the basin on Saturday evening, drawing thousands of visitors.