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Los Angeles police said they would increase their presence at the Academy Awards on Sunday night to ensure that potential protests related to the war between Israel and Hamas do not disrupt the Oscars ceremony.
Commander. Randy Goddard of the Los Angeles Police Department said he had gathered intelligence, based partially on social media posts, suggesting that at least one group “would like to stop the Academy Awards.”
“Our goal will be to ensure that the Academy Awards are a success, that guests can arrive safely and enter the venue,” said Commander Goddard, the police officer who leads the department’s Oscar management. “But, also, we’re going to work very hard to reach out to groups as they come forward and lay out the expectation that we, as police, are here to support their constitutional First Amendment rights.”
Some groups may try to block traffic or use other disruptive measures that protesters have taken advantage of at other events across the country, he said. Others may focus their efforts closer to the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, where the Oscars are held.
Commander Goddard said the department would “raise more resources” to “help facilitate” any marches or demonstrations, but stressed that it would not allow protesters to break the law or prevent guests from arriving safely at the Oscars. “We hope to find that middle ground,” he said.
An FBI spokeswoman in Los Angeles said it maintained a presence at special events, including the Academy Awards, to share intelligence and support its partners in the LAPD.
At this year’s Grammys, a few dozen pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated in front of the Crypto.com Arena, briefly blocking traffic in the delivery area. A pro-Palestinian protester with a loudspeaker. stood outside the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica last month.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which will hold its 96th Oscars on Sunday, has had to deal with disruptions over the years. Security has long been tight at the Oscars, which draw some of the world’s biggest stars to a live broadcast watched by millions.
Commander Goddard said the Dolby Theater itself, which is secured by the Academy, is protected by railings, fences, checkpoints and nearly 2,000 private security guards. “My goal is for guests to safely enter that location,” he said.