Cultural workers in Venice plan to protest the US Ambassador's visit, citing US complicity in the conflict in Palestine.
Cultural workers in Venice, affiliated with the Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA), are preparing to protest during the scheduled visit of United States Ambassador to Italy, Tilman Fertitta, on Friday, July 17. The demonstration is set to commence in Venice's Campo San Zaccaria.
The protest aims to highlight what ANGA describes as the United States' ongoing complicity in the conflict in Palestine, specifically citing the country's role in arming, financing, and politically shielding Israel. The group states that this complicity will be physically present in Venice through the ambassador's visit.
Ambassador Fertitta, a billionaire and ally of former President Trump, is expected to dock his 384-foot superyacht in the Italian city. His visit is part of a months-long cruise around Italy, intended to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. The vessel is reportedly valued at $450 million.
This upcoming action follows ANGA's significant demonstrations earlier this year. On May 8, the group led a cultural workers' strike during the 61st Venice Biennale's preview day, marking the first such event in the Biennale's 131-year history. This mobilization, in support of Palestine, led to the temporary closure of numerous national pavilions.
The May protest specifically decried Israeli participation in the international art event amid the ongoing situation in Gaza. ANGA has been a vocal critic of Israel's inclusion in the Biennale, having launched an open letter in 2024 opposing its participation, which garnered over 22,000 signatures.
The controversy surrounding Israel's presence continued into this year's Biennale, with 240 artists and arts workers signing an ANGA-led missive seeking to overturn its participation in the Arsenale. ANGA also participated in a national cultural strike on June 12, advocating for fair work and pay while condemning violence in Gaza.
ANGA's consistent message, from boycotting what they termed the “Genocide Pavilion” to protesting Ambassador Fertitta, remains clear: “no business as usual with genocide.” The alliance asserts its refusal of the cultural normalization of genocide, the militarization of cities, and the capture of Venice by what it describes as oligarchs and representatives of imperial power.
