Anti-Israel demonstration causes chaos outside Oscars, slightly delays broadcast
A pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the Oscars ceremony caused chaos on Sunday evening as the broadcast of Hollywood’s biggest night was reportedly delayed because of unruly protesters.
Attendees were briefly prevented from reaching the awards ceremony taking place inside the Dolby Theatre, causing the show to be pushed back by a few minutes, the Los Angeles Times reported. Some of the demonstrators shouted “shame” at guests as they joined the start of the 96th Academy Awards.
The star-studded event didn’t take off until six minutes past 4 p.m. local time. Red carpet coverage ran longer than scheduled and then a commercial break further slowed the proceedings in a likely bid to give guests more time to reach their seats, per the LA Times.
Some guests were delayed by as much as an hour. Black vans carrying attendees grinded to a halt near the venue, the newspaper reported.
Actor Christoph Waltz was among the attendees that got out of their ride and walked the rest of the way in order to make the show on time.
About 1,000 protesters were part of the fiery demonstrations with a fraction of that number slowing traffic.
“I just can’t sit home today watching an awards show when a genocide is going on in the name of my people and with a previous genocide having happened to my people,” protester Miguel Camnitzer said, according to the LA Times.
Protesters came face-to-face with cops decked out in riot gear as the LAPD issued a dispersal order.
“A Dispersal Order was issued in the area of Sunset Boulevard and Cherokee Avenue for Unlawful Assembly,” the police department posted on X earlier Sunday. “Stay away from the area.”
Protesters carried signs and chanted for a cease-fire near security checkpoints around the theater while some demonstrators yelled at those attempting to get to the famous theater.
One sign read, “No awards for genocide.”
“With people from across the globe watching the Academy Awards, this is a Hail Mary opportunity,” said an organizer from one of the protests, Anthony Bryson, according to the New York Times.
“What’s happening in Gaza needs to have attention drawn to it,” he said. “We wanted to bring as much resistance and visibility as possible.”
The Dolby Theatre and the red carpet for the event had a perimeter that was blocked off for several blocks in every direction.
Inside the theater, there were more tacit signs of protests over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Singer Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas, best song nominees, as well as director Ava DuVernay, actor Ramy Youssef wore pins for a cease-fire.
Protests related to the conflict between Israel and Hamas have been ongoing since the Oct. 7 massacre carried out by the Palestinian terrorists that killed 1,200 Israelis. Israel’s responding military campaign in Gaza has killed around 30,000 Palestinians over the last several months, the Hamas-backed health ministry has said.
With Post wires
