An egg-cellent plan: Thousands vow to pelt eggs at Bezos' mega yacht

Rotterdam, Netherlands - Things are getting egg-cessive for Jeff Bezos.

De Hef/Koningshavenbrug Bridge in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam may be dismantled for Jeff Bezos' new superyacht to pass under. Rotterdammers are threatening to throw eggs into the mix.
De Hef/Koningshavenbrug Bridge in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam may be dismantled for Jeff Bezos' new superyacht to pass under. Rotterdammers are threatening to throw eggs into the mix.  © Collage: IMAGO/NurPhoto, Andreas Berheidem, & UPI Photo

Former Amazon CEO Bezos has received severe criticism after a historic bridge is reportedly going to be partially dismantled for his luxurious mega yacht to pass under it.

In response, 4,000 people (and counting) have joined a Facebook event vowing to attend the passing of the ship to pelt rotten eggs at the half-billion-dollar vessel.

Bezos commissioned Oceanco to build the yacht, Y721, which is currently getting its finishing touches at the Dutch shipbuilding city of Alblasserdam upriver from Rotterdam.

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The ship, when completed, will be 416 feet long and will cost almost $500 million to make, and will be ranked as the largest private vessel in the world.

However, for the vessel to hit the ocean, it will have to navigate out of the straits, and the route to the ocean includes the Koningshavenbrug vertical lift bridge, which is also known as De Hef. The yacht requires a massive 131-foot ground clearance.

The 144-year-old bridge stands as a historic monument. Back in 2017, the Rotterdam city council repaired the bridge with a promise that it will remain in place for the future, but recent development has jeopardized the promise, and has outraged the citizens of Rotterdam.

Pablo Strörmann (40) invited the Facebook community to join him as he planned to showcase his displeasure.

"Rotterdam was built from the rubble by Rotterdammers and we don't just take it apart for the phallus symbol of a megalomaniac billionaire. Not without a fight," he wrote on Facebook.

14,000 more people have responded they are "interested" in the event. The activist also started a GoFundMe to reportedly raise the means to throw three million eggs in the 15-minute window of the ship's passing. The page has since been deactivated.

Dutch authorities see the ship building project as an opportunity to generate revenue.

"From an economic perspective and maintaining employment, the municipality considers this a very important project. In addition, Rotterdam has also been declared the maritime capital of Europe. Shipbuilding and activity within that sector are therefore an important pillar of the municipality," said municipal project leader Marcel Walravens.

Despite the preemptive egg-filled protest, which has been scheduled on Facebook for June 1, authorities have not yet made their official confirmation of the bridge's dismantling.

Pablo Strörmann created the Facebook event, to which 18,000 users and climbing have responded to.
Pablo Strörmann created the Facebook event, to which 18,000 users and climbing have responded to.  © Screenshot/Facebook/pablo.strormann

Time will tell whether Bezos, or the Dutch protesters, will end up with egg on their face.

Cover photo: Collage: IMAGO/NurPhoto, Andreas Berheidem, & UPI Photo

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