The Steady Drip: Met Gala 2026: Activists leave nearly 300 ‘bottles of urine’ in protest of Bezos’ involvement (Connecting the Dots: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met Gala), Jeff Bezo, Amazon, The Breakthrough Energy Coalition, CNN & The Carnegie/Soros Network)

Met Gala 2026: Activists leave nearly 300 ‘bottles of urine’ in protest of Bezos’ involvement (Connecting the Dots: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met Gala), Jeff Bezo, Amazon, The Breakthrough Energy Coalition, CNN & The Carnegie/Soros Network)

The bottles were left in the museum by Everyone Hates Elon, a British political activist group, to protest this year’s Met Gala

The Independent.com

Amber Raiken in New York

Tuesday 05 May 2026 02:53 EDT

https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/met-gala-2026-jeff-bezos-protest-lauren-sanchez-b2970444.html

An activist group placed hundreds of bottles of urine inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art to protest billionaire Jeff Bezo’s treatment of Amazon workers, as he and wife Lauren Sánchez Bezos prepare to serve as honorary co-chairs and lead donors of the 2026 Met Gala.

Everyone Hates Elon — a British political activist group to protest Elon Musk — placed nearly 300 miniature bottles of fake urine throughout the Met on Friday in reference to multiple employees at the Jeff Bezos-owned company claiming they didn’t get bathroom breaks, just days before the fashion extravaganza on the first Monday of May.

“Jeff Bezos's company Amazon is literally being sued for forcing workers to urinate in bottles. Amazon avoids MILLIONS in tax and Bezos is one of the world's richest men. The Met Museum is taking the PISS by having Jeff honoured as their Gala host. When they celebrate Trump’s billionaires, let’s ridicule them instead 💋” the group wrote in an Instagram post about the stunt.

Each of the small bottles of face urine has a picture of Bezos’ face and reads: “Boycott the Bezos Met Gala”.

Bezos’ company, which made him a billionaire, has long been criticized for its demand on workers, including injuries and health issues suffered by employees aiming to meet deadlines for fast deliveries. In 2024, Amazon workers in India’s Manesar warehouse claimed they had to pledge that they wouldn’t take any breaks until they met their targets.

Near the Metropolitan Museum in New York City, Everyone Hates Elon, which describes itself as anti-billionaire, has also put up posters that read: “Bezos Met Gala: Brought to you by the firm that powers ICE.”

Activist group Everyone Hates Elon left 300 bottles of fake urine in the Met Museum (Getty Images / Everyone Hates Elon)

In addition, critics have accused Bezos — who recently spent millions on a movie by First Lady Melania Trump via his Amazon MGM film studios — of buying influence at the prestigious fashion ball.

The Independent has contacted the Met, Bezos and Everyone Hates Elon for comment.

Wintour has attempted to quell the backlash over the couple’s involvement, telling CNN in November: “I think Lauren is going to be a wonderful asset to the museum and to the event. I’m very grateful for her incredible generosity, and she’s a great lover of costume and obviously of fashion, so we’re thrilled she’s part of the night.”

The couple’s sponsorship of the Met Gala breaks precedent of having a legacy fashion house as the primary sponsor.

Everybody Hates Elon left the bottles in various spots inside the Met (Everybody Hates Elon)

Amid the protests and call for a boycott, multiple celebrities are skipping out on the Met Gala, including Zendaya and Meryl Streep. Elle reported Friday that Zendaya will miss the New York City ceremony to take a break from the spotlight after doing two near-simultaneous press tours for The Drama and Euphoria season three.

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail reported this week that Meryl Streep was rumored to have turned down a co-chair role at the Met Gala because of Bezos and Sanchez’s involvement.

Everyone Hates Elon has started a campaign to boycot this year’s Met Gala (Reuters)

Her representative told The Independent: “Meryl has been invited to the Met Gala for many years but has never attended. While she appreciates Vogue, Anna, and her incredible imagination and stamina, it has never quite been her scene.”

Streep can currently be seen playing Miranda Priestly — a character inspired by longtime Met Gala chair and Vogue editor Anna Wintour — in The Devil Wears Prada 2, and appears on the May 2026 Vogue cover.

Connecting the Dots:

Henry A. Kissinger was a trustee emeritus at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met Gala) and a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

David H. Koch is a trustee at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met Gala) and a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Leonard A. Lauder is a benefactor at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met Gala) and a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Walter Isaacson is the president & CEO for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and was the chairman & CEO for CNN.

L. John Doerr is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), a member of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition and was a director at the Amazon.com, Inc.

Jeffrey P. Bezos is the chairman & president & CEO for

Amazon.com, Inc., and a member of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition.

George Soros is a member of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Ted Lieu was honored with the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Great Immigrants Award, has represented California's 36th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2023 and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), the Aspen Institute (think tank), the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Hisashi Owada was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Ted Turner is a co-chairman for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and is the founder of CNN.

James Carney is a political analyst for CNN and the SVP for Amazon.com, Inc.

Walter Isaacson was the chairman & CEO for CNN and is the president & CEO for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Henry A. Kissinger was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a trustee emeritus at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met Gala).