Alec Baldwin's Clash With 'Free Palestine' Protester Viewed 3M Times

Video footage of Alec Baldwin being confronted by a supporter of Palestinian people has gone viral on social media.

On Monday, video footage was shared on X, formerly Twitter, by the account @CHBAF—which currently uses the screen name "Crackhead Barney & Friends"—that showed the Hollywood actor in a coffee shop. As of press time, the video has garnered more than 3.5 million views.

Baldwin, 66, appeared to pay for his order as he stood with his phone at his ear. During this time, the person filming the footage was seen repeatedly shouting at the screen star to say "Free Palestine" in order to be left alone.

"Alec, can you please say 'Free Palestine' one time?" the person filming the footage yelled in the otherwise quiet coffee shop.

The person filming the footage then appeared to allude to the death of Halyna Hutchins. Baldwin has maintained that he unknowingly held a loaded gun on the set of Rust, a film in which he starred and served as a producer. The gun discharged on the Western's set near Santa Fe, New Mexico, on October 21, 2021. Hutchins, 42, was killed, and writer-director Joel Souza was injured.

Baldwin has denied pulling the trigger. However, the star has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and is awaiting trial, currently scheduled for July. Last week, Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed received an 18-month prison sentence after being found guilty of involuntary manslaughter over the shooting.

"Why did you kill that lady? You killed that lady and got no jail time?" the person filming Baldwin said. "No jail time, Alec. You're putting innocent people in jail, Alec Baldwin."

"Free Palestine, Alec. Just one time and I'll leave you alone. I'll leave you alone—I swear," they went on. "Just say 'Free Palestine' one time."

Baldwin, who had retreated to the coffee shop's doorway and avoided interaction with the person filming, was then seen advising a staff member to "call the police." He also appeared to say that the person was "harassing" him.

"You know he's a f****** criminal," the person filming said to the staff member, who had earlier unsuccessfully attempted to usher them out of the store.

"Come on, Alec, just say 'Free Palestine' one time, please... and I'll leave you alone," the person continued. "Free Palestine. F*** Israel. F*** Zionism. Please say it. One time."

As the seconds-long footage drew to a close, Baldwin said: "Could you do me one quick favor?" The actor then appeared to shove the camera away as the clip cut.

Footage of the confrontation was shared on X, where @CHBAF added the caption: "White devil Alec Baldwin attacked me. While I was trying to get [coffee]."

The post was fact-checked by a community note, which is a small blurb below a post that gives readers added context and typically disputes an X user's claims.

"The person filming this video was not 'trying to get coffee,'" the update read. "They repeatedly and viciously harassed Alec Baldwin and refused to leave the establishment when asked to by the staff. There is also no evidence they were attacked."

Newsweek has contacted a representative of Baldwin via email for comment, and X user @CHBAF via social media.

Israel and Hamas have been locked in a war after the Palestinian militant group attacked southern Israel in October. Much of Gaza has since been razed in subsequent strikes from Israel, with huge numbers of the Strip's 2.3 million residents forced to flee their homes.

Gaza health officials estimate that more than 33,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel embarked on retaliatory strikes, and Israeli officials say that roughly 1,200 people were killed in the initial Hamas attacks, during which a further 253 were taken hostage.

The White House has become increasingly critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's military response in the Gaza Strip. Israel has also faced pressure from the international community, as several celebrities speak out on the conflict while others have opted to forgo public discussion of the matter.

Update 4/23/24, 4:05 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.