Multiple people were arrested outside of the Met Gala, as they protested on behalf of Black Lives Matter (BLM).
After canceling the event in 2020 and postponing it from May, the Met Gala finally held its awaited event this past Monday. The theme for this year? "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion." It highlights American designers and celebrates American fashion.
But as celebrities were flaunting their gaudy gowns and suits, the police and protestors clashed as officials tried to clear the demonstration.
The demonstrators gathered to speak against New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio, calling for defunding of the NYPD. The NYPD has an annual budget of $11 billion, and many protesters feel that it can help impoverished communities. Just last summer, Mayor Bill De Blasio was under fire for implementing an 8 p.m. curfew that intensified violence and for defending the officers who drove into protestors with a SUV.
The BLM protesters outside the gala, whose theme was "American Fashion," is a telling statement. The theme called on designers to showcase the ever-fluctuating fashion industry, ironically showing how America hasn't changed.
Not many stars have spoken out against the commotion at the gala. Indya Moore, however, was super candid on their Instagram. The Pose star stated that "Being at the Met this year was cognitive dissonance. I entered and left feeling confused. But before that I felt clear. Grounded. People were protesting and arrested in the name of what so many of us who attended, care deeply about. They were arrested most likely because they were perceived [sic] as a threat to those of us who were there." They are probably one of few celebrities who has addressed the commotion, and raised concerns about the division between what was happening inside and outside the event. There needs to be more conversation surrounding the disparities Black and Brown people face. Moore has made it clear this will be their last Met Gala.
The reasoning behind the BLM demonstrators gathering and the disturbance that occurred at the protests are clear examples that America can not hide from its past, no matter how hard they try to.