The controversial production of Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” that a Donald Trump-like character’s assassination was disrupted Friday night by two supporters of the president.
Laura Loomer, who works for the right-wing media outlet The Rebel, charged the Central Park stage in New York City as the play was set to feature the stabbing of the Trumpian Caesar. She shouted to the crowd that the production encouraged violence against the president and his supporters.
“The blood of Steve Scalise is on your hands!” she exclaimed.
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The play was abruptly stopped after Loomer’s interruption and as she was whisked away by security, right-wing blogger Jack Posobiec yelled out from the audience and to the play’s attendees, “You all are Nazis, like Josef Goebbels!” and “Goebbels would be proud!”
The play went on after the momentary disruption.
According to the New York Post, Loomer was charged by police with disorderly conduct and trespassing.
Posobiec defended the pair’s actions in a statement to The Daily Caller shortly after the event.
“Today we took the fight for free speech to the heart of left-wing terrorist radicalization,” Posobiec told TheDC. “Goebbels would be proud. President Trump was stabbed again and again and the crowd cheered. It made my blood run cold. These people must understand their actions have consequences. I call on the Public Theater to apologize to the family of Steve Scalise.”
The protested production has been heavily criticized for its depiction of the murdered Caesar as Donald Trump and multiple sponsors have pulled their funding of the play. Some commentators, such as Loomer and Posobiec, have attempted to connect to the play to Wednesday’s shooting of Republican congressmen that left Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise and others injured.