MET GALA RED CARPET: Kim Kardashian, Lil Nas X strike severe poses

NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Stars began to arrive at the Met Gala Red Carpet around 5:30 Monday evening, dazzling in dresses and suits playing to the event’s theme: “American Independence,” a celebration of U.S. fashion.

The celeb-studded fundraiser, formally known as the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit, typically takes place on the first Monday of May, but was pushed back this year due to the coronavirus pandemic and was canceled in 2020 entirely.

This year’s co-chairs include actors, musicians and athletes like Timothée Chalamet, Billie Eilish, Naomi Osaka, and Amanda Gorman. Keke Palmer and Ilana Glazer are hosting Vogue’s live stream from the red carpet.

Directly out of frame from the gala's glitz and glamor, the NYPD arrested multiple people at a Black Lives Matter protest right outside of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Video from the protest shows tense clashes as police attempt to remove marchers from the street.

The red carpet opened with a performance from the Brooklyn United Marching Band, whose members donned red, white and blue monochrome jumpsuits.

Local politicians, including Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, were also slated to attend the event. Democratic Congressional Rep. Carolyn Maloney arrived wearing a colorful, suffragist-inspired dress.

Rep. Alexadnria Ocasio-Cortez also arrived with a political message, wearing a white dress with "tax the rich" on the back in red.

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