The Metropolitan Museum of Art faced an unusual security breach just days before the 2026 Met Gala. Staff discovered approximately 300 miniature bottles filled with a yellow liquid strategically placed throughout the museum interior.
Organizers quickly confirmed the substance was merely water mixed with food coloring, posing no actual biohazard to the public. The bottles were part of a coordinated protest targeting Jeff Bezos, who serves as an honorary co-chair for this year's event.
The activist collective known as Everyone Hates Elon claimed responsibility for the stunt. They placed signs throughout the venue, including a display mockingly labeled as a VIP toilet for the Amazon founder.
This protest highlights long-standing allegations regarding labor conditions within Amazon’s logistics network. Critics have frequently cited reports of delivery drivers and warehouse staff feeling forced to use bottles for bathroom breaks due to intense productivity quotas.
The group’s messaging explicitly linked these labor concerns to the glitz of the Met Gala. By staging the protest at a high-profile cultural institution, they aimed to challenge the optics of billionaires using philanthropy to improve their public image.
This incident was the culmination of a broader campaign that included projections on Manhattan landmarks and wheatpasted posters across the city. The collective has utilized similar guerrilla tactics in the past to draw attention to systemic issues involving tech moguls.
The Met Gala, a major fundraiser for the Costume Institute, often serves as a lightning rod for social commentary. While the event celebrates fashion and artistry, the involvement of ultra-wealthy sponsors has increasingly drawn scrutiny from labor advocates.
Public reaction to the stunt remains deeply divided on social media platforms. Some observers praised the group for effectively highlighting worker exploitation, while others criticized the method as immature and disrespectful to museum staff.
No arrests have been reported in connection with the incident as of late May 4. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the security lapse or the cleanup efforts required.
The protest serves as a stark reminder of the growing tension between celebrity-driven cultural events and the labor realities of the modern economy. Whether such tactics succeed in shifting corporate policy remains a subject of ongoing debate.