The meme at the center of claims that President Donald Trump is promoting violence against members of the media was played in a near-empty room at a pro-Trump conference, videos from attendees reveal.
The New York Times first wrote about the spoofed video, which is an edited version of a violent scene from the movie “Kingsman” wherein actor Colin Firth’s character indiscriminately shoots and stabs members of a hate group. In the pro-Trump version, Trump’s face is superimposed over Firth’s as he is shown killing media, political personalities and news outlets. (RELATED: Spoofed Video Of Trump Shooting Political And Media Opponents Shown At Florida Resort)
The video was reportedly played at the American Priority (AMP) festival at the Trump Doral resort in Miami, Florida. The White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) released a statement condemning the violent video and demanding Trump denounce it as well.
“All Americans should condemn this depiction of violence directed toward journalists and the president’s political opponents,” the WHCA said. “We have previously told the President his rhetoric could incite violence. Now we call on him and everybody associated with him to denounce this video and affirm that violence has no place in our society.”
Statement from @whca President @jonkarl pic.twitter.com/zKrYXyoETm
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) October 14, 2019
Other members of the media accused the Trump campaign of being involved in the display of the video and claimed it was sanctioned by the festival organizers. Alex Phillips, the organizer, said in a statement that the display must have been submitted by a third party and that he was not aware it was being shown.
WATCH:
According to CJ Ciaramella, a Reason reporter who attended the festival as press, the video was part of a meme exhibit in a small room off of the main Doral ballroom where the festival was being held. The room was empty when Ciaramella was there, and, according to other attendees, never had more than a handful of people inside at a time.
Here’s the room that video played in, for context https://t.co/bkm5ge3Xio
— CJ Ciaramella (@cjciaramella) October 14, 2019
I spoke to the event organizers
This wasn’t shown in any main stage and was an artistic exhibit in some side room with around 8-10 people watching an examples of memes. https://t.co/IgK5gAnDRH
— Mike Cernovich (@Cernovich) October 14, 2019
Stills from Ciaramella’s video show the room being empty:
Empty room at AMP Festival at Trump Doral (Twitter: CJ Ciaramella)
Empty room at AMP Festival at Trump Doral (Twitter: CJ Ciaramella)
Other reporters criticized The New York Times for linking the video to Trump and his campaign, and pointed out that very few people would have even seen the meme.
Patrician media et al. are raging over the stupid parody video at Trump Miami only because they can use it to attack him. It was part of a “meme exhibit” in a room next to the back kitchen that was entirely empty. It had nothing to do w/his campaign. pic.twitter.com/k00MNx99WK
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) October 14, 2019
Two questions about this not great piece: 1) The Times says they obtained the video. Why not publish it alongside the article and let us decide for ourselves? 2) Who showed it? Doesn’t sound like it was the organizers. https://t.co/xvldRYgciJ
— Robby Soave (@robbysoave) October 14, 2019
Think of the tens of people who may have been radicalized by this
— Robby Soave (@robbysoave) October 14, 2019
The video was first posted on YouTube over a year ago.
