AhlulBayt News Agency: Thousands of demonstrators gathered near the Venice Film Festival to shift attention from the event’s glamour to the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The protest, organized by pro-Palestine groups in northeastern Italy, took place Saturday evening just a few kilometers from the red carpet. Crowds chanted slogans like “Stop the genocide!” and “Free Palestine.”
Protesters highlighted the film industry’s cultural power, insisting it must speak out on Gaza. They stated, “This is not a political situation. This is a human situation.”
The demonstration coincided with discussions around an open letter from Venice4Palestine, urging the festival to more explicitly condemn Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The letter has received support from over 2,000 film professionals, including renowned directors Guillermo del Toro and Todd Field.
Venice4Palestine co-founder Fabiomassimo Lozzi said, “The goal was to bring Gaza and Palestine into the heart of Venice’s public discourse, and that’s exactly what happened. The response was overwhelming.”
The group also called on the festival to disinvite Israeli actor Gal Gadot and British actor Gerard Butler due to their public support for Israel’s war.
This protest follows similar global actions by the film community, including a May open letter signed by over 350 industry figures, such as Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon, condemning Israel’s war in Gaza.
Published in Libération and Variety, the letter declared, “We cannot stay silent” as violence continues in the besieged Palestinian territory.
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