Pro-Palestinian Protestors Delay The 2024 Oscars
Becca Boynton | March 28, 2024
Mark Ruffalo, the beloved actor famous for his roles in movies such as “Poor Things”, “13 Going on 30” and “The Avengers” has recently gone viral — not for any of his performances, but for a video captured by paparazzi. In the video, Ruffalo is seen exiting The Oscars Academy Award Ceremony shouting “humanity wins” in reference to pro-Palestinian protestors blocking roads and ultimately stalling the award ceremony.
Protestors calling for a ceasefire in Gaza lined up together on Highland Avenue, blocking the main road leading to the Academy Awards. Protestors chanted “Hollywood, Hollywood you can’t hide” while a line of black cars, presumably transporting various public figures to the ceremony, came to a standstill.
Flooding the streets of Hollywood, pro-Palestinian protestors gathered in front of the Dolby Theatre, where the Oscars Award Ceremony has been held every year since 2001. Protestors were opposing the nonchalant stance Hollywood has had towards the current Palestine and Israel conflict.
While famous individuals such as Ruffalo, Billie Eilish, Mahershala Ali and more wore red “Artists for Ceasefire" pins, their efforts to demonstrate support for Gaza read as shallow attempts to distinguish themselves from their Israel-supporting costars.
Aside from accessorizing with red pins, the only mention of any conflict was by Poor Things actor Jonathan Glazer, who was met with a slew of internet comments calling him antisemitic.
Hollywood has a rich history of ignoring the world's problems. On March 10, the day the Oscars were held live, the total number of deaths from malnutrition in north Gaza rose to 25.
Thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians are witnessing the worst of humanity while the individuals who obtain the most amount of wealth and power to aid in support of Palestine are dressing in their luxurious jewels and using their designer sunglasses to shut out the crying faces of protestors.
“Stop the killing, stop the slaughter. Gaza has no food and water,” protestors chanted to the line of blackened car windows.
Protestors blocking the entranceway to one of Hollywood's most coveted award shows has sadly become one of the only ways to hold accountability and shame on some of the world's wealthiest individuals. Protestors on March 10 had the rare opportunity to confront these powerholders to their faces, screaming “shame” as they made their entrance or in some instances, throwing red paint on them.
While few artists have spoken against the tragedies occurring in Gaza and to the Palestinian people, a majority of Hollywood has remained silent, despite their capacity to influence thousands of people. Megastars such as Taylor Swift are primary examples of this neglect to speak.
Swift's voice alone has the power to influence countless amount of minds. In a story post on Instagram in 2023, Swift was able to get more than 35,000 people to register to vote. Despite this power, she has remained one of the many celebrities who refuses to do anything to aid the crisis in Gaza.
Individuals protesting on the expensive streets of Los Angeles not only were placing accountability on people who rarely face any sort of pressure but also speaking to a larger issue. America is pointing its nose in the opposite direction of active terrorism.
The Oscars is just one example of Hollywood elitism overtaking any news and television demonstration of an actual war occurring. It is an attempt to further quiet the public opinion.
While Ruffalo and other artists have done their best to demonstrate support for a country undergoing unthinkable terrors, it is the protestors who swarmed the streets of L.A. who are truly making a difference — or at the very least, trying to.