Palestinian Supporters Descend Upon Downtown Los Angeles Ahead of President Biden Fundraiser

Hundreds of protesters have descended on Downtown Los Angeles around L.A. Live on late Saturday afternoon, attempting to block entrances and disrupt proceedings ahead of a big-ticket fundraiser for President Joe Biden at Peacock Theater.

Shortly after 5 p.m. PT, uniformed officers were seen rushing towards one group of protesters as they attempted to block an entrance by locking arms next to the J.W. Marriott and the restaurant Yard House that was set up for ticketed guests to pass through. Some of the protesters, seen in a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) below, were wearing shirts that read “Cease Fire Now” and “Not in Our Name,” while one woman hoisted a large pink sign that read “Stop Killing Palestinians” amid the current conflict between Israel and Hamas.

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The group has grown in size, though it’s unclear how many guests were being stopped from entering as The Hollywood Reporter noticed other entrances to the venue remained free and clear with flows of people able to enter with no issues. In another scene, a group of dozens mobilized on the sidewalk next to Crypto.com Arena waving flags and chanting as they passed down the block, heading towards L.A. Live. A press officer with LAPD tells The Hollywood Reporter that no arrests have been made, and officers “will continue to assess the situation” as the night goes on.

A similar fundraiser held at Madison Square Garden in New York City in March featured a large security presence ahead of a show that featured Biden and Obama along with former President Bill Clinton in conversation with Stephen Colbert. That event was also briefly disrupted by Palestinian supporters.

THR is already stationed inside Peacock ahead of the fundraiser, which is scheduled to kick off in the early evening and feature Biden in conversation with former President Barack Obama and moderator Jimmy Kimmel. George Clooney and Julia Roberts are also on the ticket, with other A-listers expected to appear during the event, which has raised a historic $28 million.

As of 6 p.m. PT, there are already hundreds of guests in the lobby of the Peacock Theater as the event kicked off early with a VIP pre-reception in the lobby and photo opportunities for Democratic supporters and deep-pocketed guests. There’s a large group of politicos who are participating in the photo line with Biden and Obama including Mayor Karen Bass, Ted Lieu, Maxine Waters and others.

Near the check-in inside the J.W. Marriott, THR spotted Jeffrey Katzenberg, California Governor Gavin Newsom and many other politicos and Democratic supporters. Super producer Ben Winston was also spotted in the lobby of the Peacock Theater after 5 p.m. PT.

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