FOP: City Police Joining Boycott Of Quentin Tarantino's Film

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore City's Fraternal Order of Police joins with others across the country in boycotting Quentin Tarantino, for his comments at a rally against police brutality in Brooklyn.

Pat Warren reports, Baltimore's FOP President calls Tarantino's remarks heinous.

Baltimore City's FOP President Gene Ryan announces a boycott and issues harsh criticism of director Quentin Tarantino's remarks at a rally on Oct. 24. for unarmed citizens killed by police.

"I'm a human being with a conscience. And 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," Tarantino said then.

In his statement, Ryan writes:

"We announce our intention to stand with our law enforcement colleagues around the country in sold support of the boycott of Quentin Tarantino's upcoming film," Ryan states.

"I have never met Quentin Tarantino nor do I have very much interest in any of the movies with which he's associated, however, I have learned more about him in the last 2 weeks than I ever wanted, or intended, to know and none of it is good. His original comments referring to Police Officers as "murderers" were heinous enough and , now, as he backpedals away from his own truth he clearly continues to show his personal contempt for those who have chosen a life of service and sacrifice to citizens of this country."

"I know what a murdered is and so do the hundreds of thousands of men and women in blue and we, Mr. Tarantino, are not murderers. We, the people that he so clearly detests, are out on the streets of American everyday so that he and those of his philosophical bent, can march and protest and say things that tear apart the very fiber of our society."

Tarantino has told the LA Times his remarks have been misrepresented.

"All cops are not murderers," he said. "I never said that. I never implied that."

And on MSNBC, he also came to his own defense.

"Just because I was at an anti-police brutality protest, doesn't mean I'm anti-police," Tarantino added.

Ryan accuses him of backpedaling, writing "he has degraded and disrespected every man and woman who ever wore the uniform in our profession, including those whose very lives were lost in order to provide him the ability to practice civil disobedience while espousing hatred and contempt."

The statement ends with:

"I dare Mr. Tarantino to look into the eyes of the widowed spouse or children of one of our nations Fallen Heroes and tell them that their husband and father was a murderer. Shame, shame, shame on him!"

Tarantino says he was referring to specific officer in specific cases, not everybody.

Baltimore joins New York, Los Angeles and other police unions calling for a boycott.