Ukrainian Protester Pulled Off Cannes Red Carpet After Covering Herself in Fake Blood
variety.comElizabeth Wagmeister Senior Correspondent A Ukrainian influencer was pulled off the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, after she covered herself in fake blood on the steps up to the Palais, staging a protest in support of Ukraine.
This year, the city of Cannes banned protests along the Croisette and its surroundings during the festival. Ilona Chernobai — a Ukrainian fitness trainer with one million followers on Instagram — walked the red carpet at Cannes in a blue and yellow dress, symbolizing the Ukraine flag.
As she got to the stairs, she pulled bags of fake blood from underneath her dress and poured them over herself. Security immediately grabbed her and escorted her off the carpet.
On her Instagram, Chernobai posted about her act of protest, writing, “The action was in support of the occupied territories and our people who live there.” “On the red carpet of the 76th Cannes Film Festival, I came out in a dress in the colors of our flag and poured red paint on myself,” Chernobai wrote (in a post that has been translated to English by Variety). “I used my chance and with this act I reminded what is happening in Ukraine!!!” She continued, “Unfortunately, I can no longer post all the events in stories, like many bloggers, because Instagram destroys everything!
Read more on variety.com
