Protests over war in Gaza snarl traffic, delay start of Oscars in Los Angeles

By Darren Lyn

HOUSTON, US (AA) - Pro-Palestinian protests to end the war in Gaza snarled traffic in Los Angeles on Sunday and delayed the start of the 96th Academy Awards.

Scattered demonstrations around Hollywood were met with a beefed up police presence in anticipation of any potential problems, according to media outlets. The Dolby Theatre and red carpet were closed off for several blocks in every direction and officers were seen in riot gear wearing helmets and wielding batons, threatening protesters with arrest for unlawful assembly.

Many protesters carried signs and chanted for an Israeli cease-fire in Gaza, where nearly 31,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began in October last year. Some of the signs and banners had messages including "Silence is violence, keep talking about Palestine" and "Down with US imperialism."

As demonstrators voiced their protests from the streets, some of Hollywood's biggest names supported their cause on the red carpet. Stars including Mark Ruffalo, Billie Eilish, Finneas O'Connell, Ava DuVernay and Ramy Youssef wore red pins created by the organization Artists4Ceasefire calling for an Israel-Gaza cease-fire.

"The pin symbolizes collective support for an immediate and permanent cease-fire, the release of all of the hostages and for the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza," the group said in a statement.

"Artists4Ceasefire stands for a future rooted in freedom, justice, dignity and peace for all people."

The lead-up to the spotlight of these protests on Hollywood's biggest night came after more than 400 members of the entertainment industry signed a letter to President Joe Biden in an effort to end the deadly violence taking place in Gaza.

"We ask that, as President of the United States, you and the US Congress call for an immediate de-escalation and cease-fire in Gaza and Israel before another life is lost,” said the letter. “More than 30,000 people have been killed...numbers that any person of conscience knows are catastrophic. We believe all life is sacred, no matter faith or ethnicity, and we condemn the killing of Palestinian and Israeli civilians."

The war in Gaza began on Oct. 7 after members of the Palestinian group Hamas stormed into Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. Israel has said more than 130 remain hostage in Gaza.

Nearly 31,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza and over 72,500 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.​​​​​​​

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.