Calls for Met Gala boycott after Jeff Bezos foots the bill: 'Brought to you by worker exploitation'

Source: The Independent

Saturday 18 April 2026 12:44 EDT


A group of guerrilla activists are urging people to boycott this year’s Met Gala over the involvement of Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos. At various locations near the Metropolitan Museum in New York City, posters have popped up with the words: “Bezos Met Gala: Brought to you by the firm that powers ICE” and “Boycott the Bezos Met Gala.”

In November, the Met announced that this year’s biggest night in fashion would be “made possible” by the world’s third-richest man and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, who were named as lead sponsors, alongside secondary donors, Condé Nast and Saint Laurent. The role is understood to give the couple influence over everything from invites to the overall presentation of the event.

The sponsorship by the tech mogul — who recently spent millions on a movie by First Lady Melania Trump via his Amazon MGM film studios — sparked backlash from critics who accused Bezos of buying influence at the prestigious fashion ball.

The poster that referenced ICE shows a canister of tear gas on a red carpet, alluding to allegations that Amazon quietly purged foreign warehouse workers who had legal authorization to work in the U.S. but lost it under President Donald Trump’s deportation efforts. The Independent has contacted Bezos’s representatives for comment.

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/jeff-bezos-met-gala-boycott-b2960367.html