At Hunter College, situated approximately 10 blocks away on 68th street, where the protest commenced for the night, a few supporters of the protest expressed skepticism regarding their ability to reach the gala.
Paris, a woman among the protest supporters, remarked, "It's highly improbable that they would even get close to the celebrities. The NYPD won't allow it. Historically, there's often been a protest outside the Met Gala. However, they are typically dispersed."
Earlier on Monday, union workers from Condé Nast, the parent company of Vogue magazine, the organizer of the Met Gala, announced a tentative agreement with the company regarding improved pay and working conditions. This development led the union to cancel a planned disruption at the gala. Nonetheless, some union members showed up to support the Model Alliance, a group advocating for enhanced contracts for models and fashion workers.
In recent years, the Met Gala has garnered a reputation for controversies. Apart from Vogue magazine's prior union dispute, this year's primary corporate sponsor is TikTok, a platform currently facing attempted bans by the Biden administration. In 2022, as Kim Kardashian and her then-boyfriend Pete Davidson graced the red carpet, news broke that the Supreme Court would overturn the federal right to abortion.
Despite this, on the red carpet, away from the noise of NYPD helicopters, everything appeared serene as celebrities discussed their outfits and inspirations. Lana Del Rey, the singer, arrived in an Alexander McQueen dress that resembled a wood nymph, while Zendaya made not one, but two appearances on the carpet in different yet stunning outfits.
Lieba Nesis, a society writer who had covered the red carpet in previous years, believed that the chances of protesters getting close to the gala were minimal. She pointed out a harsh reality.
"The protesters don't have 10 million followers on Twitter and 50 million on Instagram, nor do they have teams of assistants preparing for this event for the past year," she said. "The city benefits millions from the gala's publicity; the hotels are full. It puts New York on the global stage. This is the Academy Awards, but bigger."