This is why some celebrities wore blue ribbons on the Oscars red carpet last night

Political protest on the red carpet took many forms last night. Best Foreign Language Film director Asghar Farhadi refused to collect his award in condemnation of President Trump’s “inhumane” travel ban, while host Jimmy Kimmel sent a “U up?” tweet to The Donald. But the strongest message came amid a flutter of blue ribbons.

Best Actress nominee Ruth Negga had one pinned to her red Valentino dress, model Karlie Kloss had a flash of blue fixed to her white Stella McCartney, and Barry Jenkins, nominated as Best Director for Moonlight, paired it with a Dior Homme tuxedo. Blue was the hottest colour.

The ribbons represented the American Civil Liberties Union’s new “Stand With ACLU” initiative, a show of support for the civil rights legal campaigners who have championed LGBT, refugee, the First Amendment, women’s and abortion rights since it was founded in 1920. Most recently, it helped lead the charge against Trump’s “Muslim ban” executive order. “He discriminated, we sued,” reads the ACLU website, which has a new petition for monthly donors wanting to give support. The organisation has received unprecedented support since Trump’s inauguration, raising $24.1 million over one weekend to fight the travel ban.

“I’m wearing an ACLU ribbon because it is fighting incredible fights right now for American ideals,” said Best Original Song nominee Lin-Manuel Miranda. It’s only the ACLU’s latest fight: Ruth Negga’s Loving is based on the true story of a couple who were banished from Virginia for their interracial marriage, and it was the ACLU that took anti-miscegenation laws to the Supreme Court in 1967.

“Love seeing the @ACLU blue ribbon all over the #Oscars2017 red carpet. Civil liberties have never been this glamorous!” tweeted Udi Ofer, the union’s deputy national political director.

But it wasn’t all civil rights on the night. A hard-nosed liberties union used to cutting through confusion it may be, but even the ACLU was left scratching its head after the Moonlight/ La La Land debacle, when La La Land was handed Moonlight’s Best Picture award in error. “Congratulations @moonlightmov. Representation matters (but that whole thing was so weird and we’re in shock too)”, admitted whoever was handling the group’s Twitter account.