Ashton Kutcher defends Airbnb after settlements protest
The Hollywood star was interrupted during a speech by an angry protester holding a sign saying 'Airbnb out of settlements'
Actor Ashton Kutcher has defended the home-sharing site Airbnb after he was confronted on stage by a protester.
The Hollywood star, who is an investor in the company, was speaking at an event in Los Angeles when he was interrupted by a woman holding a sign which read “Airbnb out of settlements”.
The protester, Ariel Gold, said she wanted Kutcher to “use his power and influence” to remove Airbnb’s listings in Israeli-occupied territories in the West Bank and address the firm’s role in the “affordable housing crisis”.
Kutcher approached Ms Gold after she walked on to the stage at the Orpheum theatre and insisted the firm did not discriminate and brought people “together in a peaceful unity”.
“Let me explain to you what Airbnb means to me,” he said.
“We can get to know each other intimately and understand our collective narrative as a narrative for everyone and that we can all belong in a world together without borders.”
Ms Gold, from campaign group Code Pink, said outside the theatre that she believed “Palestinian human rights should mean more than entrepreneurship”.
She told the Press Association: “I took to the stage to ask Airbnb to remove their listings from Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. I think Ashton Kutcher needs to use his power and influence in the company to pressure Airbnb to finally remove these listings.
“We’re entering an administration which we expect to be horrible for Palestinian human rights. It’s more important now that people rise up and demand equality and freedom and justice for all people, from Palestine to Los Angeles.
“Airbnb is also complicit with displacement in Los Angeles. While I was on stage, there was a large demonstration and march going on led by United asking Airbnb to change their role in the gentrification happening in LA and the affording housing crisis.
“The way Airbnb is marketing itself as the sharing economy is not actually what’s taking place. People right here in Los Angeles are suffering.”
Code Pink, which describes itself as a “grassroots peace and social justice movement”, said on Twitter that the demonstration was staged to demand Airbnb stop listing “stolen homes in illegal settlements”.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
