Pro-Palestinian protesters have come to Hollywood to disrupt the Oscars with calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
As celebrities make their way to the Oscars red carpet at the Dolby Theatre, protesters wave flags and hold signs near the street.
The Los Angeles Police Department has stepped up its presence at the Oscars to prevent pro-Palestinian protesters from stealing the show.
Several groups, including Film Workers for Palestine, have organized the protest because they believe Israel will attack Rafah in Gaza while Americans are watching the award ceremony.
LAPD Commander Randy Goddard told The New York Times at least one group ‘wants to stop the Oscars’.
“It will be our goal to ensure that the Oscars are a success, that guests can arrive safely and enter the venue,” Goddard said.
Pro-Palestinian protesters have arrived in Hollywood to disrupt the Oscars with calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war
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, have organized the protest because they believe Israel will attack Rafah, Gaza, while Americans are watching the awards ceremony
The Los Angeles Police Department has increased its presence at the Oscars to prevent pro-Palestinian protesters from stealing the show
“But we’re also going to try very hard to engage with the groups as they come up and set an expectation that we as the police are here to support your First Amendment constitutional 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, have planned a protest for 6 p.m. 1pm at the Cinerama Dome, about a mile away from Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre.
“This Oscar Sunday, Rafah faces a planned invasion by Israeli forces. The Israeli government and its allies hope we’ll be too distracted to notice,” Film Workers for Palestine said in an Instagram post.
‘This has happened before. On February 11, over 120 million tuned in to the Super Bowl. While our eyes were glued to the TV, the Israeli military launched deadly attacks on Rafah (Gaza’s “safe zone”), killing hundreds.’
‘We will not let people turn away from the atrocities in Gaza. We are taking action and making sure Palestine will NOT be ignored for some glitz and glam,’ the group said.
A stretch of Hollywood Boulevard has already been shut down for construction ahead of the show, and roadblocks are in place for the star-studded event, reported NBC Los Angeles.
Orange Drive to Highland Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard is scheduled to be closed until 6 on March 13.
On TikTok, one user said: ‘If you’re in the area where the Oscars are going to be held, it’s time to wreak havoc. Not violence, but chaos.’
‘I mean every road blocked, every driveway blocked, as much as you can. I don’t care if you have to fill the whole street with bins, bins, just leave cars and sit in there, nobody should be watching the Oscars.’
LAPD Commander Randy Goddard told The New York Times that at least one group ‘wants to stop the Oscars’
A stretch of Hollywood Boulevard has already been shut down for construction ahead of the show, and roadblocks are in place for the star-studded event
Oscars TV showrunner Raj Kapoor told The Hollywood Reporter that he and his co-producers are prepared for possible disruption.
‘There are a lot of plans in place and hundreds of people involved in those types of decisions. There is a formal plan, but at the end of the day, there are a few people who will make important decisions in a very short period of time if anything happens,” Kapoor said.
There is a lot of thought in every piece of this show. That’s why it’s the Oscars. That’s why it’s a global show, because every nuance is actually thought out beforehand.’
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 is set to air starting at 7pm Eastern/4pm Pacific on ABC.
Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer leads the field with 13 nominations and is the frontrunner to win Best Picture.