The popular company Amazon.com is one of the biggest in the world for a wide variety of reasons, but its founder Jeff Bezos has certainly been the subject of a great deal of controversy during his time in the public spotlight.
Bezos, who ranked as the world’s third richest man in 2022 with a net worth of $165.5 billion, is said to be disliked because is allegedly “drunk on power,” or because he is a “megalomaniac,” among other reasons.
Much like Elon Musk, there’s no doubt that Bezos’ contributions to the world have struck a nerve with millions of people, eliciting both positive and negative reactions as a result.
After all, both men are in the business of upending and at times transforming long-held traditions in human society, and it’s not an easy business to be in at times (although the rewards are obviously great).
Thousands RSVP to Throw Eggs at Bezos’ Boat Over Bridge Dispute
According to a report from Geekwire.com, thousands of people have signed up to throw eggs at Jeff Bezos’ superyacht when and if it sails through the Dutch city of Rotterdam this upcoming summer.
The protesters’ plans were revealed after news that the billionaire Amazon founder’s $500 million vessel would require the dismantling of a historic bridge in order to reach open waters.
“It started more as a joke among friends after we heard the news about the possible dismantling of the bridge,” protest organizer Pablo Strörmann said to the NL Times, an English-language Dutch newspaper, earlier this month.
The joke is now “getting way out of hand,” however, the man said.
A Facebook page for the event is now showing that 21,700 people have responded and over 5,000 people have responded as “going.”
“Calling all Rotterdammers, take a box of rotten eggs with you and let’s throw them en masse at Jeff’s superyacht when it sails through the Hef in Rotterdam,” the event description says.
The Hef is the nickname for the 95-year-old Koningshaven Bridge, which has been described as a landmark that would stand in the way of Bezo’s 417-foot-long triple-masted sailing yacht.
The bridge only has a clearance of 131 feet. In anticipation of Bezo’s arrival, city officials have given permission for the middle section to be removed and replaced.
“Normally it’s the other way around: If your ship doesn’t fit under a bridge, you make it smaller,” Strörmann told the NL Times. “But when you happen to be the richest person on Earth you just ask a municipality to dismantle a monument. That’s ridiculous.”
Bezo’s yacht is known as Project Y721 and built by Ablasserdam, Netherlands-based Oceanco, and will become the world’s largest sailing yacht upon delivery.
