Several of the stars attending the 2024 Oscars ceremony were seen wearing pins in support of the ceasefire in Gaza.
Outside the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, where the annual awards ceremony is held, hundreds of demonstrators gathered to protest the ongoing violence in Palestine.
Inside the ceremony, several of the night's nominees, including selma director Ava DuVernay and Avengers Actor Mark Ruffalo, as well as Best Original Song nominees Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell, were seen wearing pins in support of Artists4Ceasefire, an organization calling for an end to the fighting and humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians.
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The red pins feature the image of an outstretched hand.
speaking to Variety on the red carpet, poor things Star Ramy Youssef said: “We call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. “We are calling for lasting peace and justice for the people of Palestine.”
Anatomy of a fall Actors Milo Machado Grenier and Swann Arlaud were also seen wearing pins with the Palestinian flag.
On Sunset Boulevard, riot police were present as demonstrators gathered to protest, reportedly shouting “Free Palestine” and “Let's shut it down” outside the scene. The start of the ceremony was delayed by about five minutes due to the protest.
Billie Eilish at the 2024 Oscars, wearing a red ceasefire pin
(EPA)
An open letter signed by more than 400 artists through the Artists4Ceacefire organization was sent to US President Joe Biden last year. Among those who lent their names to the letter were Jessica Chastain, Quinta Brunson, Richard Gere, Cate Blanchett, Lupita Nyong'o, Mahershala Ali and Barbie the nominee América Ferrera.
The letter, which can be read on the organization's website, says: “We come together as artists and advocates, but more importantly as human beings witnessing the devastating loss of life and horrors unfolding in Israel and Palestine.
“We ask that, as President of the United States, you and the United States Congress call for an immediate reduction in tensions and a ceasefire in Gaza and Israel before another life is lost. “More than 30,000 people have died in the last five months and more than 69,000 have been injured: figures that anyone with a conscience knows are catastrophic.”
This year's Oscars ceremony saw the biopic of the nuclear physicist oppenheimer confront movies like Barbie, Flower Moon Killers, Anatomy of a fall and Teacher for the film industry's most prestigious honors.
