Hundreds of bottles filled with yellow liquid were discovered hidden throughout New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art just hours before the Met Gala, part of an elaborate protest against Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez, who funded much of this year’s event.
Protest Targets Amazon Labor Practices
The anti-billionaire campaign group Everyone Hates Elon, funded by 1,000 donors worldwide, orchestrated the demonstration to highlight allegations that Amazon warehouse workers have been forced to urinate in bottles due to strict workplace policies. Outside the museum, activists installed baskets with empty plastic bottles and signs reading, “The Met Gala VIP toilet. Installed in honor of Met Gala chair Jeff Bezos. Go ahead, it’s good enough for his staff.” The stunt deliberately referenced longstanding complaints about working conditions at Amazon facilities.
Staff members found more than 300 containers of the fake urine positioned near priceless artifacts inside the museum. The discovery sent shockwaves through event organizers preparing for fashion’s biggest night. Current and former Amazon workers supported the protest, which aimed to prevent Bezos from using celebrity culture to distract from labor controversies surrounding his corporation.
Billionaire Under Siege in Manhattan
On Sunday night, activists projected protest messages onto Manhattan landmarks including the Chrysler Building, Empire State Building, and Bezos’s own Fifth Avenue penthouse, where he reportedly hosted a pre-gala party. Messages read “Boycott the Bezos Met Gala” and “no red carpet for Trump’s billionaires.” Video testimonials from Amazon employees were also projected onto his apartment building. A spokesman for Everyone Hates Elon stated they couldn’t allow Bezos to use celebrity and fashion to hide what they called his crimes.
Amazon’s Labor History
Amazon faced similar accusations in 2021 when reports emerged that delivery drivers and warehouse workers urinated in bottles because they lacked adequate time for bathroom breaks. The company acknowledged awareness of restroom access issues at the time. The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Amazon have not yet responded to requests for comment about Monday’s protest. The controversy marks a significant escalation in public backlash against billionaire involvement in high-profile cultural events, with activists determined to keep labor practices in the spotlight despite the glamorous setting.
