Italians object to celebrity wedding’s impact on city

New York: In echos of public protests last year when Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez took over Venice for their three-day wedding, locals in another Italian city are annoyed that they have to deal with Dua Lipa and Callum Turner’s wedding extravaganza, which also has been spread out over three days and resulted in the shutdown of public squares to ensure the privacy of the couple and of their VIP guests.

Protests have begun in Sicily’s historic capital, Palermo over the nuptials, with people posting “Palermo is not for rent” signs around town and talk of a protest march buzzing on social media, according to the Daily Mail and La Sicilia. Both outlets also reported that authorities in Palermo have imposed “a ring of steel” around parts of the city, which restricts traffic and access to various well-known locations.

Police have specifically erected barricades on the streets leading to the famed Piazza Croce dei Vesperi, which is now secured, La Sicilia reported. These barricades have blocked access to the Gallery of Modern Art, one of the reported venues for the wedding celebrations.

The piazza also serves as the backdrop for the Palazzo Gangi, which the Daily Mail said is the site of a Friday night cocktail reception for wedding guests. The rumored guests include Charli XCX, Olivia Dean, Elton John and designer Simon Porte Jacquemus.

“Public places belong to everyone,” the protest signs also say in both English and Italian. The signs additionally say, “Our square is not your living room” and “Palermo is not for the rich.”

Lipa and Callum reportedly jetted into Sicily on Thursday for their destination wedding, after already officially tying the knot last Sunday in an “intimate” ceremony at the Old Marylebone Town Hall in London. Lipa made headlines by looking chic in a custom, white skirt-suit by Schiaparelli couture. “They get to enjoy the best of both worlds,” a source told People.“A private moment together and a larger celebration with family and friends in Italy.”

Vogue reported that the British pop star, 30, and her new British actor husband, 36, are staying at the luxurious, waterfront Villa Igiea hotel on the outskirts of Palermo. The Daily Mail added that the newlyweds booked an entire floor of suites at the hotel overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea.

But the couple’s estimated $2 million celebration isn’t making some locals happy, with the Daily Mail reporting that business owners around the shut-down Piazza de Croce were told that they had to close up early Friday — one of the most popular nights for going out in Palermo.

The Daily Mail, citing reports, said the pop star’s wedding organizers paid the local council $13,000 to essentially rent out the square for the evening. That means that people who live around the square have been asked to close their shutters and stay off their balconies, while locals also said they have been asked to sign nondisclosure agreements.

“We can’t say anything,” one local resident told the Daily Mail. “We’ve had to sign an agreement. Our lips are sealed.”

Antonio Rini, with the Palermo Council’s tourism department, justified all the accommodations being made for the celebrity couple, saying that coverage of their high-profile wedding will benefit the city.

“For us, having Dua Lipa’s wedding here is a great honor and the welcome they will receive will promote the city on the international stage,” Rini said told the Daily Mail. “Several big international artists will be arriving in Palermo for the wedding and this is a great return for the city.”

Lipa and Turner began dating in January 2024, after meeting at The River Café in London, Vogue reported. Since then, they have walked many red carpets together — ”always looking like the extremely hot couple that they are,” Vogue added. Therefore, it is likely that, with the historic, picturesque backdrop of Palermo, the couple will be able to deliver even more “on the fashion front,” Vogue added.

Tribune News Service