The US Ambassador to Italy arrived in Venice aboard the 117-meter luxury yacht Boardwalk, equipped with two helipads, two swimming pools, plus a fully outfitted spa and gym.
In Venice on Friday, protesters met the luxury yacht of the American ambassador using inflatable water toys, beach balls, and a banner stating «Venezia non si USA,» a wordplay meaning “Venice is not to be used.”
ADVERTISEMENT 
ADVERTISEMENT
Several hundred demonstrators protested Tilman Fertitta’s arrival, briefly clashing with riot police close to the yacht.
Activists characterized the visit as an unwelcome exhibition of American wealth and influence amid widespread Italian concerns that the Trump administration disrupts the post-World War II global order.
During the demonstration, participants raised their hands to indicate peaceful intent as they approached a double row of riot officers. After demonstrators refused to halt, police pushed them back with shields while inflatable toys flew through the air.
After the brief confrontation, protesters directed shouts of «Shame!» at the ambassador, the mayor, and law enforcement.
A journey across 13 Italian coastal regions
Fertitta arrived in Venice on Friday morning, docking at St. Mark’s Basin as part of a coastal diplomacy voyage commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Upon arrival, protesters carried signs stating «Make America Read Again» and «Oligarch in saor,» referencing the traditional Venetian sardine dish sarde in saor.
The so-named Coastal Diplomacy 250 tour, spanning 13 Italian coastal regions onboard the superyacht, is aimed at honoring “our shared history, our economic cooperation, and the cultural links that define the U.S.-Italy relationship,” Fertitta noted in a social media message.
Fertitta released a brief statement affirming support for the right to protest. “I appreciate Italians, and as Americans, we respect freedom of expression and peaceful demonstrations; Coastal Diplomacy celebrates our nation’s origins and these core freedoms.”
“It is presumptuous to believe he can act without restrictions in a city increasingly dominated by a single tourism culture,” organizer Stella Morion told The Associated Press.
She added that the protesters also reject President Donald Trump’s foreign policies, including US strikes on Iran, which she claimed have caused a rise in energy costs.
“This represents yet another blow to a city and all its residents in Venice struggling with rising prices due to Trump’s warfare,” she stated.
Details about Fertitta’s meetings in Venice remain undisclosed, though he is anticipated to attend the famed Redentore festival on Saturday, which commemorates the end of the 1576 plague with fireworks over St. Mark’s Basin.