Main Street in Park City was shut down for a couple of hours on Sunday afternoon as around 100 marchers bearing Palestinian flags and banners attended a ‘Let Gaza Live’ rally during Sundance.
Protestors at the non-violent event shouted “Ceasefire now” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” in response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Attendees – many of whom arrived in Park City from Kimball Junction seven miles away, according to one participant – called out the press for failing to adequately highlight the plight of Palestinians, targeted US president Joe Biden for America’s support of Israel, and urged festival attendees to engage with what was happening in the Middle East.
The rally was in response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict triggered when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 last year, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking some 250 hostages to Gaza.
Israel retaliated with airstrikes and a ground invasion of Gaza which according the Hamas-run health ministry has resulted in the death of 25,000 people.
Across the road opposite the Riverhorse On Main restaurant where protestors initially gathered, one solitary man waved an Israeli flag and chanted, “Bring them home” and recited names of the more than 100 hostages believed to still be captive in Gaza.
Two celebrities joined the rally. Pose star Indya Moore, who stars in festival selection Ponyboi, addressed the crowd and called for a free Palestine.
Melissa Barrera, who stars in festival entry Your Monster, chanted from the sidelines. In November Barrera was fired from the upcoming Scream VII by producers Spyglass Media after she likened Gaza to a concentration camp in a social media post. Barrera subsequently posted on social media, “I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind.”
The rally was not affiliated to the festival. A Sundance Institute spokesperson said, “We have been made aware of the demonstration and its commitment to maintaining a peaceful environment.
“While the organisers 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.”
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