Peter Thiel became the focus of an unusual protest outside his Buenos Aires home. A group dressed as Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings gathered with signs and chants aimed at the billionaire tech investor.
However, the costumes were not random. Instead, the protesters tied the Tolkien theme to Thiel’s business interests and his growing presence in Argentina.
Peter Thiel is the co-founder of Palantir
Video posted on X on Aug. 17 showed about a dozen protesters dressed as Gandalf outside Thiel’s home in Palermo Chico. They carried a banner featuring the famous “You shall not pass” reference and chanted about Thiel and Palantir.
According to Argentine outlet InfoCielo, the group calls itself “Ciudadan@s Gandalf” and uses the slogan #NoPasarán. However, no public spokesperson or formal manifesto has emerged so far.
The Tolkien theme also connects directly to Palantir. Thiel co-founded the data software company, whose name comes from the palantíri, the seeing stones in J.R.R. Tolkien’s fictional world. In addition, Palantir’s official investor page lists Thiel as a co-founder and chairman of its board.
Meanwhile, Thiel has expanded his financial interests in Argentina. Reuters reported that his Thiel Macro fund recently bought a 1% stake in Vista worth about $76 million. The company operates in Argentina’s Vaca Muerta shale region.
As a result, local reports connected the protest to Thiel’s growing economic presence in the country. Still, the demonstrators have not publicly released a detailed list of demands.
Thiel also remains a prominent figure in U.S. political circles. For example, his longtime connection to Vice President JD Vance recently resurfaced when a Senate candidate targeted Vance with a Peter Thiel jab.
For now, little is publicly known about the people behind Ciudadan@s Gandalf. Nevertheless, their Tolkien-inspired protest has drawn new attention to Thiel, Palantir and his investments in Argentina.
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