Quentin Tarantino’s own father joined in with police unions Friday in denouncing the director for calling police officers murders.
“I love my son and have great respect for him as an artist but he is dead wrong in calling police officers, particularly in New York City where I grew up, murderers,” Tony Tarantino said in a statement. “He is a passionate man and that comes out in his art but sometimes he lets his passion blind him to the facts and to reality.”
Tarantino has been at odds with police over comments he made Oct. 25. He called police murderers during a recent protest against police brutality. Police have been under increased scrutiny over recent instances of alleged brutality.
“I believe that is what happened when he joined in those anti-cop protests,” his father continued. “I wish he would take a hard, dispassionate look at the facts before jumping to conclusions and making these kinds of hurtful mistakes that dishonor an honorable profession.”
The statement comes from the New York Police Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association. Union President Patrick J. Lynch added that he was grateful for the remarks. The union is encouraging people to the boycott Tarantino’s films until he makes an apology
“We have many friends and relatives who have served honorably in the NYPD and the LAPD,” his father concluded. “They risk their lives to keep the rest of us safe. Cops are not murderers, they are heroes.”
There have been several incidents of alleged police misconduct that garnered national attention in the last couple years. Freddie Gray died in April from spinal injuries while in the custody of Baltimore police. Michael Brown was shot dead after robbing a store and assaulting police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Mo.
Both deaths resulted in several protests as well as riots and looting. Another incident involving police misconduct resulted in the death of Eric Garner. New York City Officer Daniel Pantaleo, was accused of choking Garner to death in 2014. Garner was heard shouting that he couldn’t breathe as he was wrestled to the ground. At the time Pantaleo caught Garner selling untaxed cigarettes. The incidents made national headlines and sparked a debate on police using excessive force and institutional racism.
The main organizer of the Oct. 25 protest have since come out in defense of Tarantino. Rise Up October says the criticism is designed to silence opposition of police brutality.
“It is aimed at sending a message, not just to Tarantino, but to anyone whose voice carries great weight in society: If you speak out, we will come after you, threaten your livelihood and attempt to scare you back into silence,” activist Carl Dix said according to USA Today.
“Video after video has shown unarmed black, Latino, and Native Americans being tazed, stomped, brutalized, and shot in the back by police and almost never are the police even indicted,” Dix also noted. “What kind of society allows this? What does it say when those who raise their voices against this are the ones who come under attack?”
There has also been a national backlash to police using what is known as civil asset forfeiture. The practice allows police to confiscate private property if a person is assumed to be engaged in criminal activity and the person doesn’t need to be charged.
Tarantino’s latest film The Hateful Eight will be in theaters Jan. 8.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.