NYPD Boycotts Quentin Tarantino's Film Release
Quentin Tarantino protested police brutality in New York this weekend. As a result, his films are now the subject of a protest. The NYPD is calling for a boycott of the director's upcoming release in NYC, Rolling Stone reported.
The filmmaker, known for his snappy dialogue and love of blood, joined in a rally at Washington Square Park for families of victims of police brutality. He expressed outrage over police shootings. "When I see murders, I do not stand by ... I have to call a murder a murder, and I have to call the murderers the murderers," Tarantino said of police.
Sore Spots and Poor Timing
The filmmaker's statement hit a sore spot with officers. A New York cop was gunned down and killed on the streets of East Harlem while pursuing a suspect on October 20, just days before the rally. Tarantino later told reporters that the timing was unfortunate but that the protest was organized in advance. "We've flown in all these families to go and tell their stories," he explained.
Now the NYPD is telling its story, saying Tarantino's work is violent and depraved and fails to account for the real risks officers take. The NYPD's Benevolent Association president Patrick Lynch responded by calling Tarantino a "purveyor of degeneracy."
Real Life v. Big-Screen Fantasies
"The police officers that Quentin Tarantino calls 'murderers' aren't living in one of his depraved big-screen fantasies -- they're risking and sometimes sacrificing their lives to protect communities from real crime and mayhem," Lynch said.
Tarantino's eighth film, The Hateful Eight, will open Christmas day in New York City. Lynch wants New Yorkers to boycott the movie. "It's no surprise that someone who makes a living glorifying crime and violence is a cop-hater, too," Lynch said. "New Yorkers need to send [him] a message."
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