Workers turn NY streets into a “Ball Without Billionaires” protest ahead of the Met Gala

Just hours before the 2026 Met Gala began, hundreds of labour activists, Amazon workers and union organisers staged an alternative fashion event called “The Ball Without Billionaires.” 

The event was organized as a protest against Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his involvement in this year’s gala.

The participants of the protest walked a makeshift runway wearing homemade and custom-designed outfits carrying political messages such as “The Devil Wears Amazon,” “No AI,” and “Labour is Power.” 

Moreover, the event was hosted by stylist Gabriella Karefa-Johnson and actress Lisa Ann Walter, who openly criticised Bezos during the show.

According to reports, Amazon warehouse workers who got injured on the job, former ‘Washington Post’ employees and labour advocates participated in the runway protest. 

The protest highlighted concerns over worker conditions, wage stagnation, surveillance, immigration enforcement and the growing role of artificial intelligence.

The demonstrations came amid wider backlash against Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos after they were announced as honorary chairs and sponsors of the 2026 Met Gala. 

While celebrities prepared to attend fashion’s biggest night uptown, organisers of the counter-event said their goal was to shift attention from billionaire wealth to the workers behind major corporations and industries.