Amir El Masry, the distinguished Egyptian-British actor, delivered a compelling and compassionate plea on the global stage at the 2023 BAFTA Scotland Awards on Sunday evening. Advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza, El Masry made a poignant statement by adorning the red carpet with #ceasefirenow inscribed in black on his hand.
The actor’s defining moment unfolded when he was summoned to present the highly-coveted Best Actress Award. Seizing this opportune platform, El Masry passionately implored for an immediate ceasefire, shedding light on the relentless bombardment faced by Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli occupation forces.
Stepping onto the Scottish stage, El Masry wasted no time in addressing the gravity of the situation. “Before I commence,” he declared, “I want to express my heartfelt sympathy for all the women, men, and children currently enduring suffering in Gaza. Let us collectively aspire for peace in the region and an imminent ceasefire.”
View this post on Instagram
However, the BBC’s IPlayer coverage of the awards ceremony took the extraordinary step of censoring the commencement of El Masry’s speech, erasing not only his impassioned call for a ceasefire but also muting similar appeals made by Eilidh Munro, director of A Long Winter. Strikingly, the network retained only segments related to the announcement of the award nominees.
El Masry isn’t the only actor to be silenced for his stance on Israel-Palestine in recent weeks. Over the weekend, Mexican actress Melissa Barrera was dropped from Scream 7 and Thelma and Louis star Susan Sarandon was let go by her agency for advocating for Palestinians in Gaza.