As pro-Palestinian mobs continued their rampage on Monday, they chose to take their message to a new more affluent target — the 2024 Met Gala.
The Met Gala — an annual fundraiser held for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City — convened on Monday and drew an invite only crowd to the tune of $75,000 per person, according to Insider.
Unlike when these mobs have targeted college campuses in recent weeks, the choice of the Met Gala was met with a swift and deliberate police response.
CBS News reported, 27 arrests were made as a violent and disorderly cabal left Hunter College, located on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, to traverse twelve blocks to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The march towards the Gala came after news of Israel’s invasion of Rafah, provoking a “Day of Rage.”
WARNING: The following video contains vulgar language some readers may find offensive.
#NYC MASS ARRESTS, Pro-palestine protesters dragged on the ground outside #MetGala2024 during protest ‘DAY OF RAGE’ for Rafah. #HappeningNow
Video by @yyeeaahhhboiii2 [email protected] to license pic.twitter.com/2nZ9KaTgD8
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) May 6, 2024
Chants of “let them go!” could be heard. One officer bluntly said, “We’re not gonna keep having this,” while crowds were corralled towards the sidewalk.
Should the National Guard be deployed to address the unrest?
Numerous arrested were filmed as officers on the scene had a low tolerance for resistance to the order.
Despite police response, the mob came within a block of the Gala at 5th Avenue, according to posts on X. The police put up barricades on 75th Street and Madison Avenue, which kept them from reaching the museum.
Diverted, the mob headed for Midtown via Park Avenue.
NOW: Pro-Palestine protesters remove barricades blocking access to 5th Avenue only a block away from the Met
Earlier protesters cut through Central Park to avoid street closures around the Met pic.twitter.com/eeLmAHl0ba
— katie smith (@probablyreadit) May 6, 2024
NOW: Protesters are now blocked in by police barricades on 75th Street and Madison Avenue, a few blocks from the Met
Unclear where the protest will go from here pic.twitter.com/GGjwH4xlR7
— katie smith (@probablyreadit) May 7, 2024
NOW: After circling the Met for around 2 hours, pro-Palestine protesters in NYC are now marching south on Park Avenue, heading towards Midtown
Protesters got within a block of the Met on several occasions before running into police barricades pic.twitter.com/VTZZqsyNpe
— katie smith (@probablyreadit) May 7, 2024
Given Hunter College’s close proximity to the Gala and its use as rallying point, the college made an announcement to go fully remote on Monday, CBS reported. The college’s entrance on East 68th Street and Lexington Avenue was barricaded, and students began leaving when the decision was made to cancel late afternoon and night classes.
When it comes to Hollywood elites, the response by law enforcement was decisive and firm. Arrests were made, and barricades were erected.
The police did not simply look to contain and calm the unrest, they sought to put it down and keep it from spilling over to its target at the Gala.
Hunter College’s decision is also telling, considering how other campuses across the nation have by and large tolerated these actions to varying extents.
Confrontations and encampments were allowed on campuses, including Ole Miss, Columbia, UCLA, University of Virginia and many more. While the police were on the scene in those instances and some arrests were made, a vast contrast exists compared to the Gala and Hunter College.
Our nation’s institutes of education are not the top priority. Privileged multi-millionaire celebrities are.
Why aren’t there encampments at the gala? Why didn’t New York allow this mob to confront attendees and stir unrest on-site? Attendees should see what’s happening in the world and behold the outcome of the positions they support.
We all know that won’t happen.
Elites and celebrities live in a fantasy world where actions do not have consequences. They do not have to face reality.
That reality came within a block of them Monday while the average American looking to further their education must face it head on.
