Jamie Foxx Defends Quentin Tarantino From Police Attacks

The Guarding writes:

Django Unchained star Jamie Foxx has encouraged his friend Quentin Tarantino to “keep telling the truth” about alleged police brutality in the US, despite a growing rightwing backlash.

Speaking at the Hollywood Film Awards on Sunday, Foxx said the Oscar-winning film-maker should “keep speaking the truth and don’t worry about none of the haters”. His backing came after The Wrap reported that Tarantino would soon write a comment piece explaining his reasons for attending a protest against alleged police brutality on 24 October, during which he made controversial remarks to a crowd of around 300 which have drawn anger and calls for a boycott of the director’s films from police unions.

Speaking at the rally in New York, which was organised by a group opposing what it described as a “genocidal assault on black and Latino people in this country”, the film-maker stated: “If you believe there’s murder going on then you need to rise up and stand up against it. I’m here to say I’m on the side of the murdered.”

Police unions in New York, Los Angeles, Houston, New Jersey, Chicago and Philadelphia have criticised the Pulp Fiction director for his appearance and choice of words one week after NYPD officer Randolph Holder was fatally shot in the city. On Friday, the National Association of Police Organisations joined the growing boycott.

“As a high profile figure, Tarantino’s language is utterly irresponsible, particularly at a time when the nation is seeing increasing and persistent calls for the killing of officers,” said the association in a statement. “Anti-police rhetoric like Tarantino’s threatens the safety of police and citizens alike. The police he is calling murderers are the same officers who were present along the protest route to ensure the safety of protesters, who provide security when he is filming and who put their lives on the line to protect our communities day in and day out.”

Tarantino has also come in for criticism from US conservative commentators such as Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly, who said in a broadcast that he suspected the film-maker had “destroyed his career” with the New York appearance.

Studio The Weinstein Company, which is releasing Tarantino’s new film The Hateful Eight on Christmas Day in the US, were unavailable to comment on fears of a boycott.