‘Stop raping us!’ Topless woman crashes Cannes red carpet, protests against sexual violence in Ukraine

A woman who stripped off her clothes to reveal a message against rape written on her body crashed the Cannes Film Festival red carpet premiere of George Miller’s ‘Three Thousand Years of Longing’ on Friday (May 20).

The woman, who was protesting against sexual violence against women in Ukraine, had to be removed from the venue.

The Hollywood Reporter reported that the woman stripped off all of her clothes as she fell to her knees screaming in front of the assembled photographers, as per eyewitnesses. Security guards were seen rushing over to her and covering her with a coat.

She had put paint over her body in the colours of the Ukrainian flag and the words ‘Stop Raping Us’ across her chest and abdomen.

The woman also appeared to have blood-red paint over her lower back and legs with the word ‘SCUM’ written on her back.

As per the outlet, the incident happened on the red carpet at the premiere of George Miller’s ‘Three Thousand Years Of Longing’, starring Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton.

The director and stars were in attendance when the episode took place. While she yelled ‘Don’t rape us!’, security quickly encircled her and took her off the red carpet.

Since the beginning of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, there have been numerous reports of Russian soldiers raping Ukrainian civilians, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had made an emotional address at the opening ceremony of the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival through a live satellite video address and called on the filmmakers to confront dictators.

Russia’s war in Ukraine has often been in the spotlight at this year’s Cannes festival, which is screening several films from Ukrainian filmmakers. The festival barred Russians with ties to the Kremlin from attending.