It’s being called a Sundance showdown. Pro-Palestine demonstrators protested at the Sundance Film Festival on Sunday.
There were about 100 protesters that marched halfway up Park City’s Main Street in the snow. There was heavy police surveillance and a big media presence. Sundance attracts a media spotlight every year in the film industry. Cameras and reporters are everywhere.
One actress joined in with the protesters. Melissa Barrera joined the crowd as they chanted, “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” The usual propaganda was spewed by the antisemitic crowd, including criticism of Joe Biden, a.k.a. Genocide Joe.
Slamming the Biden administration’s stance on Israel and strong allegiance with the Jewish State over the horrors of Hamas’ murderous attack on Israel on Oct. 7, protestors recycled an old anti-Vietnam War chant. With signs in the crowd calling President Biden a “butcher, demonstrators screamed: “Genocide Joe, what do you say? How many kids did you kill today?”
Spilling off the sidewalk into the street, the demonstration saw Park City police and other law enforcement move fast to shut down the road to traffic. “This could be a couple of hours, but we don’t want anyone hurt,” one officer on the scene said to Deadline.
There were some people in town who are on the right side of history. They yelled, “Bring them home” at the protesters. It’s a reference to the hostages still being held in Gaza by Hamas. It’s been three months since the massacres conducted on October 7, 2023 by Hamas and the Israel-Hamas war began. There were a few counter-protesters on the other side of the street who waved Israeli flags. Some said members of their own families were killed by terrorists.
Barrera was at Sundance for a film, “Your Monsters”. She has a history of being outspoken in her support of Palestine. She advocates for a ceasefire in Gaza.
This wasn’t her first time at a protest. Her pro-Palestine support has gotten her in trouble in the past.
Barrera’s pro-Palestinian support on social saw her get fired by Spyglass Media from Scream VII back in November as the studio considered her remarks to be anti-semitic. She broke her silence days later on social exclaiming, “First and foremost I condemn Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people,” Barrera said in a statement shared on Instagram Stories.
(WATCH) Melissa Barrera joins pro-Palestine demonstration at #Sundance. Almost 100 people have shown up to march on Main Street pic.twitter.com/GXGJkXvos3
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) January 21, 2024
I don’t know how she participates in a pro-Palestine protest and proclaims she isn’t antisemitic. Hamas rules Gaza and the goal for Hamas is to wipe Israel off the map and kill all the Jews. They want to kill Westerners, too. Barrera and other useful idiots for Hamas don’t seem to realize that her life would likely be in danger in Gaza. She is supporting Hamas when she participates in pro-Palestine protests. There is no separating Hamas from Gaza.
An Islamic group offered its support of the protest.
A rep for the Islamic Scholarship Fund at the protest told Deadline that they were there because, “We fully support every single artist’s right to make art that they want to make and protest for free Palestine.” Another protester on Main Street said, “I support an end to all genocide that includes the genocide that’s happening right now.”
If they support an end to genocide, they are siding with the wrong people. Hamas commits genocide, not Israel. The massacres on October 7 were genocide of Jews and Americans and others that day.
Another actress, Indy Moore, a star in “Pose” was also at the protest supporting Palestine. The Let Gaza Live protest was planned weeks ahead.
Pose star Moore, in town for the festival premiere of Ponyboi, took the microphone at one point to say, “I’m gay as – God forgive me – f***. I love everybody. I love people. I have Israeli friends. I have Jewish friends. I have Palestinian friends. Everybody sees what’s happening. They all agree, there needs to be a ceasefire. Stop telling us to hate each other. Stop telling us they hate each other. They also know that the Palestinian children that have been murdered are not responsible for freeing the hostages right now. That’s just the truth, right? The children are innocent.”
As Barrera looked on, Moore continued by saying, “If you care about life, if you care about dignity, if you care about freedom, you care about the self-determination of everybody.” Though members of the LGBTQ community often face violence, persecution and death in Palestine, Moore offered a counter by saying, “This is about life. That’s why I’m here. I’m trans, right? It’s about love.” She then said, “Free Palestine is about equality for everybody.”
Pose star Indya Moore takes the mic and says “I’m gay as fuck” and trans but “free Palestine is about equality.” pic.twitter.com/BTA9UNJnB3
— Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) January 21, 2024
Moore is gay and trans. She wouldn’t live long in Gaza. Hamas does not care about life or dignity. What is she talking about? What ignorant mumbo-jumbo coming from her mouth.
The Sundance organizers did not release a statement Sunday but did on January 19. “While the organizers are non-affiliated with the Festival itself, the safety and security of our festival goers is always of concern to us, and we consistently work with local law enforcement to uphold an environment that is welcoming, inspiring, and secure for all our attendees.”
The Sundance officials seemed quick to separate themselves from the protest. Who could blame them?