A Met Gala intruder was tackled by police and security as he attempted to rush the steps while A-listers Kim Kardashian and Beyoncé graced the red carpet on Monday night. The man tried to jump over barricades to access the star-studded event at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Dressed in a denim jacket, black bandana, and sunglasses, his gatecrashing efforts were thwarted as he was swiftly escorted away. Several NYPD officers restrained him at the carpet entrance before he could penetrate further into the venue.
E! reporter Zuri Hall described the moment as 'chaos,' as the commotion interrupted ongoing interviews on the carpet. It remains unclear whether this unnamed individual was part of the protests that surrounded the event due to the involvement of Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos, 62, and his wife Lauren Sanchez, 56, who have bankrolled much of the spectacle.
Protests and Controversy
In the 24 hours before the Met Gala began, activists employed controversial tactics in a last-ditch attempt to boycott the event. Baskets containing plastic water bottles were installed outside the museum, urging passersby to urinate in them. A sign above read: 'The Met Gala VIP toilet. Installed in honor of Met Gala chair Jeff Bezos. Go ahead, it's good enough for his staff.' This stunt aimed to draw attention to Amazon's treatment of its workers.
The campaign group Everyone Hates Elon, which organized the protest, claims Amazon employees were forced to urinate in bottles due to denied toilet breaks. On Sunday, protest messages were projected onto Bezos's apartment block and New York landmarks, including the Chrysler Building and Empire State Building. Messages like 'Boycott the Bezos Met Gala' and 'no red carpet for Trump's billionaires' were displayed, along with video messages from Amazon workers on Bezos's penthouse.
Further Demonstrations
More than 300 bottles of fake 'urine' were hidden at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of the protest. The anti-billionaire campaign group, funded by 1,000 donors globally and supported by current and former Amazon workers, claimed responsibility. A spokesman stated: 'Amazon founder and oligarch Jeff Bezos just finished his Met Gala pre-party... We couldn't let him get away with using celebrity and fashion to hide his crimes.'
Amazon previously faced similar accusations in 2021, acknowledging that drivers struggle to find restrooms, especially during Covid. A spokesperson noted it was 'a long-standing, industry-wide issue' they aimed to solve. Bezos and Sanchez were announced as honorary co-chairmen and lead sponsors of this year's Met Gala in February, reportedly paying $10 million for the role, sparking backlash from fashion enthusiasts who view it as a departure from the event's philanthropic origins.
