Pro-Palestine Protesters Rally Outside Scream 7 LA Premiere

Dozens of pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside the Los Angeles premiere of Scream 7 on Wednesday night, calling for a boycott of the upcoming horror sequel.

The demonstration took place outside the Paramount Studios lot, where the red carpet event was underway. Protesters waved Palestinian flags and held signs reading “Cancel Paramount+” and “Stand For Free Speech Boycott Scream 7.” Chants of “Boycott Scream 7” and “Free, free, free Palestine” echoed outside the venue, accompanied by drums and trumpets.

Inside the event, however, the protest could only be faintly heard as stars including Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox posed for photographers.

Director Kevin Williamson addressed the demonstration during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. He acknowledged the protesters’ presence and expressed support for their right to speak out.

“I saw them and my heart just sort of stopped,” Williamson said. “Look, we live in America. Everyone has a right to protest and everyone should be heard. And if you have your truth and if you want to stand up and be heard, you protest. That is your right in this country, and I stand by it. I support that 100 percent.”

The protest was organized by Entertainment Labor for Palestine, CODEPINK LA and Jewish Voice for Peace–Los Angeles. According to a news release from CODEPINK LA, the demonstration aimed to draw attention to what organizers described as the entertainment industry’s silencing of pro-Palestinian voices and its handling of the ongoing war in Gaza.

The boycott campaign is also tied to the firing of actress Melissa Barrera from Scream 7 in November 2023. Barrera was removed from the project after she shared social media posts expressing support for Palestine following the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

Spyglass Media Group, the company behind the Scream franchise, said at the time that it has “zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech.”

Organizers of the “Boycott Scream 7” campaign say their goal is to urge audiences not to support the film, which is set to be released on Feb. 27.

“We believe that Melissa Barrera is a part of the Scream community and that it’s our responsibility to speak out when a member of our community has been harmed,” said Nino Testa, a longtime fan and organizer of the boycott. “We refuse to let the franchise we love be used as propaganda for a genocide. We reject Hollywood’s racist blacklisting and censorship of any person who advocates for a free Palestine.”

Despite the protest outside, the premiere continued as planned, marking the latest chapter in a long-running horror franchise now facing controversy beyond the screen.