While celebs like Kim Kardashian and Zendaya were strutting up the Met Gala steps in their designer fits, the scene outside was a whole different story. This year’s Met Gala wasn’t just about fashion — it was also the backdrop for two major protests that grabbed headlines.
Hotel workers protest at The Surrey
First up, there was a big labour dispute brewing just a few blocks from the Met. The Surrey Hotel, a swanky spot where stars like Cardi B, Tom Cruise, Alicia Keys, and Cristiano Ronaldo were staying, became the site of a union-led protest. Here’s the gist: The Surrey shut down during the pandemic, went bankrupt, and reopened last October under new management. Nearly 100 workers who lost their jobs during the closure weren’t rehired, and the Hotel Trade Council union is calling that a “union-busting tactic”.
The former staff, many of whom had worked there for years, are fighting to get their jobs back. They’ve even filed a lawsuit against the new owners, saying their layoffs broke a law passed during the pandemic to protect hotel workers during ownership changes. The case is still ongoing.
Merry Coronado, who worked at The Surrey since 2010, told New York Post how much the job meant to her: “I am a single mum, so my job at The Surrey means everything to me. This job fed my two daughters, paid for us to live in a good apartment, and enabled me to buy a car. When I lost this job, it was devastating. I’ve had to go into debt just to survive, to keep food on the table and the lights on. I’m fighting for my job back, so I can get my family’s life back.”
The union president, Rich Maroko, summed it up: “We’re calling on the celebrities staying at The Surrey to show support for the workers and join us in demanding that they be rehired.”
Pro-Palestinian protesters at the Met Gala
Meanwhile, outside the Met itself, things got even more intense. Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets, clashing with police and trying to disrupt the event as stars arrived. The demonstrators carried signs and chanted anti-Israel slogans, while counter-protesters waved Israeli flags and sang “Am Yisrael Chai”.
The protest was part of a wider push to draw attention to the situation in Rafah and the ongoing conflict in Gaza. It’s particularly significant seeing that two Isareli officials have reportedly approved plans to seize the Gaza Strip and stay in the Palestinian territory for an unspecified amount of time, per AP News.
At one point, protesters breached police barricades, and there were chaotic scenes as some tried to push past officers to get closer to the museum. Videos showed a protester setting fire to an American flag near the 107th Infantry Memorial, while others graffitied the statue with the word “Gaza” and covered it with Palestinian flag stickers that read “Stop the Genocide. End the apartheid. Free Palestine”. Some even climbed the statue, waving Palestinian flags.
The demonstration was organised by the activist group Within Our Lifetime and was billed as a “Day of Rage” according to Express. Protesters marched up Madison Avenue, chanting “It’s called, Divest! We will not stop. We will not rest!” and tried to block traffic on Fifth Avenue. The NYPD’s Strategic Response Group was called in, with smoke bombs and flares reportedly set off, (per Metro) and eventually, the crowd was redirected away from the Met.
So, while the Met Gala dazzled inside, the scenes outside were a reminder that big nights like these don’t happen in a bubble — sometimes, the real stories are unfolding just beyond the red carpet.
Lead image: Getty Images
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