Javier Bardem and Priyanka Chopra Jonas on stage during the Oscars show at the 98th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, March 15, 2026. Photo: REUTERS/Mike Blake

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) received a complaint about actor Javier Bardem’s “Free Palestine” comment on stage at the 2026 Academy Awards, TMZ reported on Tuesday after obtaining a copy of the complaint.

During the 98th Academy Awards that aired in March, the “F1” star, 57, said on stage “No to war and free Palestine” before presenting the Best International Feature award with actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas. The Oscar award-winning actor was also wearing on the lapel of his tuxedo a pin that said, in Spanish, “No a la guerra” (“No to War”) in protest of the joint US-Israel strikes on Iran earlier this year. Bardem wore a second pin that expressed support for Palestinian resistance. It featured an illustration of Handala, a character created by Palestinian newspaper cartoonist Naji al-Ali in 1969. Handala is a 10-year-old Palestinian refugee who turns his back to the world and has become a long-standing symbol for Palestinian resistance.

In the complaint sent to the FCC, as cited by TMZ, one angry Oscars viewer argued that ABC, the network that aired the award show, should be fined for allowing Bardem to wear the pins and say “Free Palestine” during the broadcast.

“This is a hateful message against Jews and Israel and is causing so much hate and antisemitism in America,” the complaint stated. It mentioned antisemitism being “allowed to be mainstreamed” and said ABC “should be taught a lesson that no one should be able to say free Palestine, which is basically equivalent to kill all Jews on live television.”

In another complaint received by the FCC, a disgruntled viewer of the Oscars expressed frustration that the show “failed to quit mentioning politics,” and said, “they’re all full of crap and hate.”

A US government agency overseen by Congress, the FCC regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the country, the District of Columbia, and US territories.

Bardem has been very vocal in his criticism of Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip during its war with the terrorist group Hamas. He has publicly voiced support for a “Free Palestine” several times in the past, accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, and called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “war criminal.”