The participants accused Trump and his allies of undermining the protections of the First Amendment.
Actors and entertainers gathered in New York on Sunday for Rise Up, Sing Out: A Concert for the First Amendment, an event featuring industry figures including Jane Fonda and Robert De Niro.
The participants accused Trump and his allies of undermining the protections of the First Amendment.
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The event was held the same night as the UFC Freedom 250 celebration hosted by Trump. Questions have been raised about the planning and financing of the event.
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Fonda invokes the House Un-American Activities Committee
Jane Fonda criticized what she described as complacency in the entertainment industry. She said: “The committee was relaunched last October to bring the entertainment industry together at this moment when our democracy is at risk.”
“In light of what’s happening, we need our industry to be united, activated and unwilling to engage in preemptive obedience,” she said, adding, “I think the Un-American Activities Committee right now is coming from the White House.”
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She grounded her remarks in personal history, noting that her father, actor Henry Fonda, was himself a member of the original Committee for the First Amendment, an organization founded in support of the Hollywood Ten, a group of film industry figures who were blacklisted after refusing to answer congressional questions about alleged communist ties.
Speakers focus on upcoming midterm elections
Criticism of the Trump administration was a recurring theme, with much of the discussion focusing on the upcoming midterm elections.
Several speakers also cited concerns over expressed optimism about the Republican Party’s stance heading into the election, a sentiment compounded by widespread concern over the administration’s sanctioning of military action in Iran.
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Participants raised concerns about several issues, including the experiences of minority communities under Trump and the influence of his political allies over the entertainment industry. The event concluded with calls for political engagement to mobilize opposition to the administration’s agenda.
The event was held during President Trump’s 80th birthday celebration at the White House, which featured the UFC Freedom 250 fight on the South Lawn. The decision to host a UFC event at the White House drew criticism from some observers.
Several people associated with TKO, the UFC’s parent company, were absent from the celebration, including Dwayne Johnson, whose representative confirmed he was not attending.
