The red carpet of theMet Galais typically synonymous with high fashion and elite celebrity sightings. However, this year, the shimmering gowns and tailored tuxedos were overshadowed by a visceral and pungent form of activism.
The arrival of Amazon founderJeff Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, as lead sponsorssparked a backlash that moved from digital discourse to the very halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The protest group Everyone Hates Elon said more than 300 bottles filled with fake urine had been hidden at the venue to protest Bezos' involvement in the annual high-profile fundraiser.
Demonstrators targeting the event reportedly managed to infiltrate the high-security venue to plant over 300 bottles filled with fake urine. The move was part of a coordinated effort to 'expose' the billionaire couple, years after Amazon was accused of letting its delivery drivers pee into bottles.
Outside the museum, the scene was equally provocative, with empty water bottles stored in a basket next to a poster that read 'Met GALA VIP toilet.' The poster also included the text 'Installed in honor of Met Gala chair Jeff Bezos. Go ahead, it's good enough for his staff' and 'in partnership with Amazon.'
An anti-billionaire campaign group with the support of Amazon workers slammed what they dubbed the 'Bezos Met Gala,' calling for a total boycott. They argue that the inclusion of the Amazon founder as an honorary co-chairman is an affront to workers' rights.
'Amazon founder and oligarch Jeff Bezos just finished his Met Gala pre-party at his penthouse and is getting ready for the big night,' a spokesperson for Everyone Hates Elonsaid. 'We couldn't let him get away with using celebrity and fashion to hide his crimes. We're exposing them instead.'
The presence of the bottles served as a grim reminder of the working conditions many associates face daily within the e-commerce giant's logistics network.
The Met Gala should enjoy ALL the fruits of Jeff Bezos’ (workers') labor!
The first poster showed what appeared to be a plastic water bottle filled with urine on a red carpet in front of flashing camera lights. 'The Bezos Met Gala,' the sign read. 'Brought to you by worker exploitation.'#BoycottMetGala2026https://t.co/9eLl0CCCqe
The choice of protest medium is a direct reference to long-standing allegations regarding the treatment of delivery drivers. In May 2023, a group of workers filed a lawsuit against Amazon for its 'inhumane' working conditions, claiming they were forced to relieve themselves in bottles to meet punishing delivery quotas. They alleged that the company's monitoring systems left no time for traditional bathroom stops,Forbesreported.
Source: International Business Times UK
