Attendees at Sunday night’s Screen Actors Guild Awards gave an uproarious standing ovation to “Stranger Things” star David Harbour’s call to punch unnamed people who oppress “the weak and the disenfranchised.”
Harbour delivered a long-winded rant as his acceptance speech for the “Stranger Things” cast winning the award for outstanding ensemble cast in a drama series.
After giving his thoughts on art and the meaning of life, the actor took matters towards a direction more fitting for a night defined by anti-Donald Trump outbursts. (RELATED: Celebrities Blast Donald Trump’s ‘Un-American’ Immigration Ban During Awards Show)
What a passionate speech by @DavidKHarbour on behalf of the @Stranger_Things ensemble! #StrangerThings #sagawards pic.twitter.com/EhTMXNsOTx
— SAG Awards® (@SAGawards) January 30, 2017
“Now, as we act in the continuing narrative of ‘Stranger Things,’ we 1983 midwesterners will repel bullies. We will shelter freaks and outcasts, those who have no home. We will get past the lies,” he said, in obvious allusions to Trump.
“We will hunt monsters and when we are at a loss amidst the hypocrisy and the casual violence of certain individuals and institutions, we will, as per Chief Jim Hopper [Harbour’s character on the show], punch some people in the face when they seek to destroy the weak and the disenfranchised and the marginalized. And we will do it all with soul, with heart, and with joy. We thank you for this responsibility. Thank you,” he concluded, as the audience filled with Hollywood’s biggest stars jumped to their feet to applaud and cheer.
The last reference is likely in reference to the debate surrounding white nationalist Richard Spencer getting punched in the face on live TV and whether it was okay to punch people deemed Nazis. (RELATED: Trump Is President, And Now The Left Justifies Political Violence)
Twitter users took it as an endorsement of the view that one should punch supposed Nazis.
guy from stranger things: absolutely punch some nazis in the face pic.twitter.com/X5SikBgecJ
— Chai Goth (@Abid_ism) January 30, 2017
In case it wasn't clear – even Hollywood appreciates it when anarchists punch fascists in the face! @crimethinc @IGD_News #strangerthings https://t.co/4V668hitU4
— Agency (@AnarchistAgency) January 30, 2017
Stranger Things: F YES PUNCH NAZIS https://t.co/ibi6bw0qa5
— ☆. – K – .☆ (@WasntThereAgain) January 30, 2017
Harbour himself had explicitly endorsed the position of punching Nazis in the face on Twitter just a week before the awards show, as pointed out by The Daily Caller’s Jim Treacher.
Deputy of Hawkins PD, hard at work. After a nice morning of coffee and contemplation, there's nothing like punching a bad guy in the face.