Chants of “Free Palestine” and “Ceasefire Now” echoed through the 2024 Independent Spirit Awards, courtesy of a small group of protesters armed with a megaphone. Chris Gardner of The Hollywood Reporter shared footage of the demonstrators on Twitter, using a megaphone to amplify a pre-recorded message. The protest unfolded during Jim Gaffigan's presentation of the Best Ensemble Cast of a New Series to the Jury Duty cast. According to IndieWire, a few attendees stepped outside to acknowledge the demonstration. Host Aidy Bryant addressed the protest during her hosting duties, stating, “We’re at the beach, and people are exercising their freedom of speech.”
Fremont director Babak Jabari gave a notable show of support to the protest when accepting the John Cassavettes Award. He mentioned, “There are people speaking outside. Whatever they’re saying is far more important than what I’m about to say.” Set Hernandez, director of Unseen, held up a keffiyeh during the presentation of the Truer Than Fiction Award, an award he eventually won. This Pro-Palestine demonstration wasn't the first at a film industry event, as a march for Palestine drew stars at Sundance.
Please note: The information in this response is based on a hypothetical scenario, and there may not be actual events or protests related to the 2024 Independent Spirit Awards.