Netflix Employees Stage Walkout Internet Divided Over Supporting Or Ridiculing It

Netflix has found itself in an increasingly difficult situation as employees stage a walkout protest similar to what happened at Activision-Blizzard recently.

The protest and walk-out centers around employee working conditions, comedian Dave Chappelle's stand-up finale still being on the platform, as well as transgender and PoC opportunities in general. While supported by celebrities such as Elliot Page, there was a clash of support and ridicule lobbied back and forth online among internet users.

Hey, no Netflix today!

Don't watch anything on the service. Solidarity with the employee walkout.

— Season of the Sloth (@CaseyExplosion) October 20, 2021

People responding to the Netflix walkout like pic.twitter.com/UqlFowHqaq

— Josie Kame (@JosieKame) October 20, 2021

#Netflix employees staged a walk out to protest #DaveChappelle
But not this…. pic.twitter.com/XfIkFpQTFX

— Hello Franchise (@FranchiseLOS) October 20, 2021

The Netflix walkout consists of a bunch of white ppl protesting a black man

Amazing

— Ahmed Al Asliken (@assliken) October 20, 2021

Do I think it's coincidence that netflix drops cool new cowboy bebop footage the day before their employees walk out to protest transphobia at netflix?

No

— Calvin Wong Tze Loon 黃子倫 🇲🇾 (@ithayla) October 19, 2021

While some of the anti-protest group pointed towards Netflix's previous, inclusive works or the ineffectiveness of walkouts like this with a company of thousands of people across the globe, a particular thing was picked out to be the chief statement: other protests. Across America, there are other similar walkouts and protests happening, but according to analytics, Netflix's protest is the most viral one with the most eyes on it.

Netflix employees staging a walkout over Dave Chappelle are going to get more mainstream media attention than the hundreds of thousands of striking workers all across the country who are fighting for higher wages, better working conditions, and improved benefits. 🙃

— Jackson Hinkle (@jacksonhinklle) October 20, 2021

Just so we're clear… when Netflix employees walkout on the job because of a comedy special it's the top trending news on Twitter all day. But when airline pilots walkout on the job because they don't want to be forced to take a vaccine they don't want it's just the weather.

— Five Times August (@FiveTimesAugust) October 20, 2021

As expected, people also started making jokes about the whole situation at large, even as the list of demands was posted by someone who attended the protest and the debate ensued.

i participated in the walk-out at netflix today. here's netflix's trans ERG's list of demands – they're netflix specific, but some are basic things that all studios should follow, like hiring trans people (particularly POC) in leadership positions https://t.co/U4lhsdDinN

— Lake Fama (@LakeFama) October 20, 2021

My opinion on the Netflix walkout doesn’t matter because I would walk out over anything… if a coworker was like hey we’re walking out because the dun-dun sound is too male-coded I’d be like sure let’s go get Chipotle fuck these people

— Donald Ghouls 🧟‍♂️🎃 (@getfiscal) October 20, 2021

@netflix y’all hiring at Hollywood? I won’t walk out 😩 pic.twitter.com/RwPDrlSlw5

— Keekz 🐲 (@SenpaiKeekz) October 21, 2021

Also at the protest was a YouTuber and comedian named Vito Gesualdi, who showed up while waving a sign that said "We Like Dave." While he was at the protest, his sign was pulled down by some of the Netflix protestors and ripped apart, leaving him with a stick. Immediately, the same protestor who broke the sign accused Gesualdi of having a weapon as he was pushed back out of the crowd. A video was posted by him, which talks about the incident in question.

News of the protestors and counter-protestor duo started to spread, with the Associated Press among others reporting it one way that is currently being called into question by some online.

1/ This AP photo caption reads "Comedian and videographer Vito Gesualdi screams profanities as he engages with peaceful protesters begging him to leave." A damaging claim about @VitoGesualdi, circulated globally.

It never happened. Join me on some basic photo-trutherism. pic.twitter.com/olZDOtuZTw

— Jesse Singal (@jessesingal) October 21, 2021