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Scores of protesters gathered outside Walt Disney Studios to rail against Disney’s suspension of ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel on Thursday evening.
Entertainment outlets reported that around 200 protesters demonstrated outside of Disney’s location in Burbank, Calif., to demand that Disney put "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" back on the air after it was pulled after Kimmel’s comments on the alleged murderer of Charlie Kirk.
"It’s a First Amendment right. Our freedom of expression, our freedom of speech, is fundamental. And last night ABC and Disney broke that," Writers Guild of America West President Meredith Stiehm told The Hollywood Reporter while attending the protest.
Protesters gather outside Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, Calif., on Thursday to denounce Disney’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel. (Christina House/Getty Images) (Christina House/Getty)
Liberals have rallied together to denounce Kimmel’s removal from the airwaves since Disney-owned ABC announced it on Wednesday. The stunning move came after Kimmel seemingly suggested on Monday that Kirk’s suspected assassin, Tyler Robinson, was a MAGA supporter, despite reports he had a left-wing ideology.
Prior to Disney’s decision, Nexstar Media Group — which owns hundreds of television stations — announced it would preempt Kimmel's show on its ABC affiliates starting Wednesday night "for the foreseeable future" and would replace it with other programming due to his comments, as did Sinclair Broadcast Group.
Multiple liberal commentators have accused Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr — a Trump administration appointee — of pressuring the studio and ABC to make it happen, calling it censorship.
During an interview ahead of Kimmel’s suspension, Carr called Kimmel's comments "some of the sickest conduct" and suggested there were potential "avenues" the FCC could pursue to hold ABC accountable for them. Shortly afterward, Nexstar and Sinclair said they would be preempting Kimmel's program on their stations.
Protesters outside the studio where "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" is produced accused ABC and Disney of bowing to supposed government censorship. (Mario Tama / Getty)
Stiehm’s union released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday condemning the suspension:
"The right to speak our minds and to disagree with each other — to disturb, even — is at the very heart of what it means to be a free people. It is not to be denied. Not by violence, not by the abuse of governmental power, nor by acts of corporate cowardice."
Burbank City Council member Konstantine Anthony also attended the protest.
"I believe that Disney and ABC are 100 percent responsible. They gave zero pushback," he told THR.
The official was photographed holding a sign that read, "Did you even watch ‘Andor?'" a reference to the Disney+ "Star Wars" series that depicts the evil empire consolidating authoritarian control over the galaxy.
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Protesters gather outside the studios where "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" is produced to demonstrate against the show's suspension. (Mario Tama/Getty)
Protesters also gathered outside Kimmel’s studio on Hollywood Boulevard on Thursday, where they were recorded chanting, "ABC bent the knee! No to the FCC!"
Outside the studio, a protester named Matty Thorn told the BBC, "This is the ultimate in cancel culture."
"We’re losing our First Amendment rights, freedom of speech," Florida resident Tommy Williams told the outlet. "That’s fine if you don’t like these comedians, and it’s fine if you don’t like these shows, but what if you say something that someone doesn’t like?"
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Fox News Digital reached out to Disney for comment.
Gabriel Hays is an associate editor for Fox News Digital.
