Protesters rally outside Disney to demand Jimmy Kimmel be reinstated after ABC ouster over Charlie Kirk comments
Scores of protesters gathered outside Walt Disney Studios on Thursday evening to rally against Disney’s suspension of ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.
Entertainment outlets reported that around 200 demonstrators gathered outside Disney’s location in Burbank, Calif., demanding that Disney reinstate *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* after the show was pulled following Kimmel’s comments about 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.
Liberals have rallied together to denounce Kimmel’s removal from the airwaves since Disney-owned ABC announced the suspension on Wednesday. The stunning decision came after Kimmel seemingly suggested on Monday that Kirk’s suspected assassin, Tyler Robinson, was a MAGA supporter—despite reports indicating he had a left-wing ideology.
Before Disney’s announcement, Nexstar Media Group, which owns hundreds of television stations, stated it would preempt Kimmel’s show on its ABC affiliates starting Wednesday night for the foreseeable future, replacing it with other programming due to his comments. Sinclair Broadcast Group made a similar move.
Multiple liberal commentators have accused Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr—a Trump administration appointee—of pressuring Disney and ABC to act, calling it censorship. In an interview before Kimmel’s suspension, Carr described Kimmel’s comments as “some of the sickest conduct” and suggested there could be potential FCC actions to hold ABC accountable.
Shortly afterward, Nexstar and Sinclair announced they would preempt *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* on their stations.
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 reading, “Did you even watch *Andor*?”—a reference to the Disney+ Star Wars series that depicts the evil empire consolidating authoritarian control over the galaxy.
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, protester 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 added, “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?”
Fox News Digital reached out to Disney for comment.
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https://nypost.com/2025/09/19/media/protesters-gather-outside-walt-disney-studios-in-support-of-kimmel-following-abc-ouster/
