Pro-Palestinian protesters have descended on Hollywood to disrupt the Academy Awards with calls for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas.
As celebrities make their way to the Oscars red carpet at the Dolby Theater, protesters wave flags, chant “Free Palestine” and hold signs near the street.
Video posted to social media shows protesters gathering at the Oscars security checkpoints chanting, “Shame on you!” at limousines transporting celebrities to the event.
Several groups, including Film Workers for Palestine, organized the protest because they believe Israel will attack Rafah, Gaza, while Americans are watching the awards ceremony.
The Los Angeles Police Department has beefed up its presence at the Academy Awards to prevent pro-Palestinian protesters from stealing the show.
Pro-Palestinian protesters have descended on Hollywood to disrupt the Academy Awards with calls for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas
As celebrities make their way to the Oscars red carpet at the Dolby Theater, protesters wave flags and hold signs near the street
Several groups, including Film Workers for Palestine, organized the protest because they believe Israel will attack Rafah, Gaza, while Americans are watching the awards ceremony.
The Los Angeles Police Department has beefed up its presence at the Academy Awards to prevent pro-Palestinian protesters from stealing the show
LAPD Commander Randy Goddard told The New York Times prior to the event at least one group “would like to shut down the Academy Awards.”
“Our goal will be to ensure that the Academy Awards are successful and that guests can arrive and enter the venue safely,” Goddard said.
“But we’re also going to try very hard to reach out to the groups as they emerge and set the expectation that we as police are here to support your constitutional First Amendment rights.”
Film Workers for Palestine, along with the LA chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, SAG-AFTRA Members for Ceasefire and the Adalah Justice Project, planned a protest at 1 p.m. at the Cinerama Dome, about a mile away from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.
“This Oscars Sunday, Rafah faces a planned invasion by Israeli forces. The Israeli government and its allies hope we are too distracted to notice,” Film Workers for Palestine said in an Instagram post.
‘This has happened before. On February 11, more than 120 million people watched the Super Bowl. While our eyes were glued to the television, the Israeli army launched deadly attacks on Rafah (Gaza’s ‘safe zone’), killing hundreds of people.”
“We will not allow people to turn away from the atrocities in Gaza. We are taking action and ensuring that Palestine will NOT be ignored for the sake of glitz and glamour,” the group said.
A stretch of Hollywood Boulevard has already been closed for construction ahead of the show, and there are road closures for the star-studded event, reported NBC Los Angeles.
Orange Drive to Highland Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard is expected to be closed until 6 a.m. on March 13.
On TikTok, one user said, “If you’re near where the Oscars are being held, it’s time to cause chaos. No violence, but chaos.’
“I mean every road is blocked, every entrance blocked, as much as you can. I don’t care if you have to fill the entire street with trash cans and trash. Just leave the cars and sit there, no one should be watching the Oscars.”
LAPD Commander Randy Goddard told The New York Times that at least one group would ‘want to stop the Academy Awards’
A stretch of Hollywood Boulevard has already been closed for construction ahead of the show, and road closures are in place for the star-studded event
Oscar showrunner Raj Kapoor told The Hollywood Reporter that he and his fellow producers are prepared for potential disruptions.
‘There are a lot of plans in place and hundreds of people are involved in those kinds of decisions. There is a formal plan, but ultimately there are a few people who will make important decisions in a very short time if something happens,” Kapoor said.
A lot of thought goes into every part of this show. That’s why it’s the Oscars. That’s why it’s a global show, because every nuance is thought about in advance.’
It is unknown whether presenters or award winners will mention the war between Israel and Hamas tonight.
In 1978, Vanessa Redgrave congratulated the academy for opposing a “bunch of Zionist gangsters” who attacked her documentary on Palestine.
Jimmy Kimmel will host the awards show for the fourth time starting at 4 p.m., an hour earlier than usual thanks to Daylight Savings. The ceremony will air starting at 7:00 PM Eastern/4:00 PM Pacific on ABC.
Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer leads the field with 13 nominations and is the frontrunner to win best picture.
