The annual Oscars broadcast kicked off several minutes behind schedule after hundreds of protesters obstructed the red carpet and entrance to the Dolby Theatre, preventing many of Hollywood’s biggest stars from getting to the show on time.

Ahead of and during the red carpet, pro-Palestinian protesters shouted at fans and stars alike: “Ceasefire now! Free Palestine.” Some also had signs that read “No awards for genocide” and drove school buses with Palestinian flags.

One reporter for the New York Times claimed that the protesters “shut down” a “main thoroughfare” and that the Academy was sending golf carts to retrieve the stars who got stuck.

Barbie star Margot Robbie was reportedly among those trying to get through the protesters.

The Los Angeles police department (LAPD) told local news station KABC that the protesters were held “outside the secure zone and officers were eventually able to clear routes and intersections after issuing the dispersal order”.

Vanity Fair’s awards editor Katey Rich noted on X that she “truly cannot remember a time when the Oscars have started LATE – nobody in the auditorium seems clear on why, but the pro-Palestine protests down the block seem like a likely cause to me”.

Sources close to the situation told the Guardian that, despite the protests, the flow into the theater was safe and secure and that attendees are in good spirits. They also noted that show is continuing to move forward as planned.

Demonstrations continued on the red carpet itself as stars like Billie Eilish, Ramy Youssef and others wore red pins in an effort of solidarity for Artists4Ceasefire.

“We’re all calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. We’re calling for the safety of everyone involved. We really want lasting justice and peace for the Palestinian people,” Youssef said during a red carpet interview. “We really just want to say, ‘Let’s just stop killing children.’ There’s so much there to process and it feels like the easiest way to have the conversations that people want to have is when there isn’t an active bombing campaign happening.”

Read more about the 2024 Oscars:

Here’s our news wrap and full list of winners – now read Peter Bradshaw’s verdict
Al Pacino, British mothers and a codpiece envelope: the real winners and losers of the night
Relive how the ceremony unfolded with our liveblog and get up to speed with the top viral moments and the best quotes of the night
Have a gander at how the stars looked on the red carpet and at the show