Venice – Italy – At this year’s Venice Film Festival, singer Halsey and actor Avan Jogia took a stand—literally—by holding a banner that read “Stop the Genocide in Gaza” during a glamorous red-carpet moment. Their bold act immediately drew attention amid the festival’s usual flourishes.
Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators had already gathered near the event, demanding justice and chanting slogans like “Free Palestine.” Against this backdrop, Halsey and Jogia’s protest resonated across the world, offering a rare display of activism among the festival’s celebrity throng.
While festival officials maintained Venice’s stance as a cultural platform—not political—Halsey and Jogia’s message turned the red carpet into a moment of global solidarity. In doing so, they reminded the world that artistic spaces can—and perhaps should—bear witness to humanity’s crucial struggles.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.