NYPD Union Calls for Tarantino Movie Boycott After Director Decries Police Brutality
Film director Quentin Tarantino participated in a New York rally against police brutality this weekend, and the police union definitely did not approve of it.
The demonstration took place on Saturday, where participants waved signs and shouted stories and calls for justice as they marched through Lower Manhattan. Tarantino, who directed acclaimed films like Pulp Fiction, Django Unchained, and Inglorious Bastards, flew in from California to attend the proceedings.
“I’m a human being with a conscience,” Tarantino said. “If you believe there’s murder going on then you need to rise up and stand up against it. I’m here to say I’m on the side of the murdered.”
"When I see murder, I cannot just stand by (& be silent)" #QuentenTarantino #RiseUpOctober pic.twitter.com/3S3G6JQbN7
— ChuckModi (@ChuckModi1) October 24, 2015
Democracy Now! documented today's #RiseUpOctober protest against police brutality in Washington Square Park. PHOTOS: pic.twitter.com/H3ZrDIxuJV
— Democracy Now! (@democracynow) October 25, 2015
The sister of #meaganhockaday with @NYjusticeleague here from CA to speak on #RiseUpOctober stage today pic.twitter.com/5diYTgCFUh
— Justice League NYC (@NYjusticeleague) October 24, 2015
Quentin Tarantino marched with us today in #NYC in protest of police brutality & negligence. #RiseUpOctober pic.twitter.com/J0F1TQwUa0
— Simon Moya-Smith (@SimonMoyaSmith) October 24, 2015
Quintin Tarantino joined #riseupoctober to protest police brutality in NYC over the weekend https://t.co/rMho0hoPry pic.twitter.com/142qKoRKb7
— Mic (@micnews) October 26, 2015
The rally has been criticized for its timing over the past few days, due to the fact that an NYPD officer was killed while pursuing a suspect last week. Tarantino acknowledged that it was an unfortunate set of circumstances, but told the New York Post “we’ve flown in all these families to go and tell their stories…That cop that was killed, that’s a tragedy, too.”
Patrick J. Lynch, the president of the Patrolman’s Benevolent Association, gave a statement yesterday saying he was not surprised that Tarantino was a “cop-hater” due to his repertoire of violent films.
“The police officers that Quentin Tarantino calls ‘murderers’ aren’t living in one of his depraved big screen fantasies,” Lynch said. “They’re risking and sometimes sacrificing their lives to protect communities from real crime and mayhem.”
Shauntel Abrams, the cousin of the murdered officer, also voiced his disapproval of the march.
“I think it’s very disrespectful,” Abrams said. “Everyone forgets that behind the uniform is a person.”
[h/t Fox News]
[Image via wikimedia commons]
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