Why A Dutch City Is Threatening To Egg Jeff Bezos' Yacht
Back in May 2021, Jeff Bezos dished out approximately $500 million to purchase a 417-foot yacht that comes with features like a helipad and a secondary boat (via Houston Chronicle). The expensive luxury compares to the fancy ice cream machine Bezos installed in his home. Some felt outraged over the sheer extravagance of the purchase, while others took issue over transportation issues. According to BBC, the Dutch company Oceanco took on the task of constructing the vessel, but a snag has come up. Due to the location of the building facility in Rotterdam, the boat must be piloted under the Koningshaven Bridge to depart the city. However, Bezos' yacht is too tall to pass under it and city officials have announced that the bridge may be deconstructed to accommodate the vessel.
This detail has angered many, as the bridge is a national monument. After local authorities closed the bridge from 2014 to 2017 for renovation, officials stated that they never intended to take it apart again. The mayor claimed that the bridge will be reconstructed after the boat's passage and some have defended the bridge tear-down, mentioning how naval construction brings a significant amount of money each year and that this project created many jobs (via BBC). The plan to deconstruct the bridge has drawn a fair share of criticism, and now defiant residents are planning to protest if the bridge actually gets altered to accommodate Bezos' yacht.
Protestors plan to throw eggs at the yacht
The New York Post reports that if the bridge is disassembled, some local residents plan to throw eggs at Jeff Bezos' yacht as it moves under the structure. Pablo Strörmann has notably spread news of this protest via Facebook and has attracted an alleged 3,000 participants who say they'll join, in addition to another 10,000 who are interested. Strörmann defended this protest action, saying, "Because I'm a Rotterdammer and I think people with a lot of money should realize that you can't make everything [how you want it] ... With this call we make our voice heard in a playful way. And I think that is going very well."
The mayor has not received an official request to dismantle the bridge to make way for the yacht. The Guardian reports that an official permit regarding the situation has yet to be received and the city hasn't made a firm decision on what it plans to do. Bezos' massive boat may end up finding its way under the Koningshaven Bridge, but the billionaire might need to handle a few expired eggs, which could be safe to eat, along the way.