The Delacorte Theater.
Two protesters disrupted a performance of Shakespeare in the Park on Friday night during the assassination scene, briefly causing the performance to be halted, according to the Times. Some right-wing commentators have decried the performance because it depicts Caesar as a Trump-like character, and they claim that the bloody assassination scene condones violence against the president.
A woman who later identified herself on social media as Laura Loomer jumped onto the stage just after the assassination of Caesar and began shouting, “Stop the normalization of political violence against the right,” and, “This is violence against Donald Trump.” Ms. Loomer describes herself as a “a right-wing investigative journalist and activist” who has previously worked with James O’Keefe, the conservative activist known for selectively edited undercover video investigations.
At JULIS CAESAR, during assassination, woman runs on stage saying, "Stop the normalization of violence against the right." Escorted out.
— Howard Sherman (@HESherman) June 17, 2017
Julia Caesar meets Laura Loomer https://t.co/THlerwmODp
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) June 17, 2017
Another protester filmed the scene and shouted “You are all Goebbels.” Security officers removed the protesters and the show went on. The stage manager announced, “Pick up at ‘liberty and freedom,’”, according to the Times. Loomer was later arrested when she refused to stop yelling things like “You guys are just as bad as ISIS” outside the theater. She was charged with criminal trespass and disorderly conduct and was released, the Times reported.
There were protesters and counter-protesters outside the theater on Friday.
Anti @PublicTheaterNY demonstrators at Trumpish "Julius Caesar" outnumbered by pro @PublicTheaterNY counter-demonstrators pic.twitter.com/0ehfVu4jUl
— Michael Cooper (@coopnytimes) June 16, 2017
The play’s last performance is on Sunday.
Well, with comments from the protesters like “You are all Goebbels” and “You guys are just as bad as ISIS”, it’s pretty hard to take their protest seriously.
I look forward to hearing supportive words from some on the Right – you know, the ones who decry when Leftwing nut jobs disrupt things.
I think it is in poor taste. So I will not be attending. I never mind protests as long as they are non violent and as civil as necessary. Left or right.
Really? If this had been Obama there would have been an outcry heard around the world from snowflakes!
REPULSIVE repudiation of the facts! Sore LOSER!
(posted here in lieu of Twit)
A comment that very conveniently ignores the fact that there were, in fact, presentations done with Obama in this role, and no riots occurred.
The fact is, both sides need to learn to deal better with unpleasant speech from the other side – and to be more considerate. I haven’t seen the play, so I don’t know whether i think it goes to far. But the fact is that this is a political play, and there is a tradition of using it to comment on contemporary events. That is a long-honored and accepted part of political debate.
If you think the treatment is anywhere near equal you’re even more delusional than I imagined. Obama was such a disaster he hurt the communities he said he wanted to help. But then again, keeping them tethered to the government ensures they keep voting the “right way”. Nothing racist about the first (half black) President getting 95+ of the African American vote. Your thinking would be funny if it weren’t so sad.
sg – you seem to be having trouble following the thread.
You start out by saying that the treatment wasn’t equal, then start complaining about the job that President Obama did. Were you trying to make a point? If so, care to try again?
SG – I had no idea you spent time imagining me.
Delusional is pretending that Obama was not portrayed in any number of racist and despicable – and violence-inducing – ways. I disagree with your characterization of whether his administration was or was not good for the country, and how much of the blame for the bad lies with him as opposed to the Republican-controlled congress. Those are matters where there is room for differences of opinion. But the existence of racist, threatening propaganda is fact.
Obama was not portrayed in that 2012 play. It was an “Obama INSPIRED” person. Google the image, that man was bald and wearing a bow tie — very distinct and not AT ALL like Obama. Here, it is a Trump CLONE complete with blond hair and long red tie. This is an old leftist trick; to mangle facts and terms to fit their agenda. Like the falsehood that the GOP is against immigrants. No, it’s ILLEGAL immigrants. Obama INSPIRED. Always the same game that fools nobody with a thinking brain.
Agreed…there’s such a double standard, progressives can’t even see it. Severed heads, lefty “celebrities” wanting to burn down the White House, punch President a Trump and targeting and shooting of the Republican team are no match for someone running on stage to shout.
Anyone remember when a rodeo clown who wore an Obama mask was run out of town…
Except that there WAS a performance a couple of years ago with an Obama-like character as Caesar.
Guess what – nothing.
Sorry that reality doesn’t match your fantasy.
Facts are facts – no one can change that to fit your snowflakery.
As The Daily Show’s host Trevor Noah (among others) revealed:
“…during the 2012 season, the popular Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis presented (the assassination of) an Obama-inspired Julius Caesar….There was little to no liberal outrage over the production, ….”
Not only was there NO outrage over THAT “killing” of the president, but it’s not impossible to imagine those same now fired-up and outraged right-wingers secretly enjoying the idea of a Black president’s assassination.
Uh huh, because uber-left wing Minnesota was clearly targeting Obama with this production. Maybe a more accurate explanation is that they were giving a high-profile acting job to an African-American. And are you implying that a smart guy like Bjorn DuPaty would have gone along with this role if he thought it was a threat aimed at Obama?
Well that’s the thing with the left; they’re the true bigots, as they *would* think DuPaty is too stupid to see what he’s doing.
About time someone protested this anti-American garbage.
Oh, get a grip on reality!!!
So you really think that the production is comparable to the Holocaust?
And you suggest others as being anti-Semitic?
Yet another snowflake from the Right who demands safe spaces.
I never said that, where do you see me say anything like that? I said it is an anti-American piece of garbage. Any sitting president getting stabbed in a play is anti-American garbage. If Hillary Clinton was elected president, and they put this play on in Texas with a Hillary look-alike being stabbed, it would also be anti-American garbage. BUT, I know what you are Mark.
What’s with the veiled insults or whatever you are implying with that statement, UWSHebrew??
That’s the second time you have said that Mark and I still don’t know what you mean. If you have something to say…say it…and stand by it. Otherwise, act like a man and stop with the childish nonsense! You know, I have defended your right to mouth off around here but you are making it harder and harder, pal.
Good on them. I’m proud to see my fellow conservatives calling out the “tolerant” left on their double standards.
Considering Shakespeare’s intentions (this is an anti-assassination play), the outrage is misdirected and evidence of ignorance and philistinism. On the other hand, the director well knew he’d be getting this type of publicity by framing the play the way he did. Controversy will keep the crowds coming. The self-righteous protestors are giving him just what he wants. A pox on both their houses!
I like the Literate sign! Our local cashiers don’t seem
to know the difference between ‘next” and ‘follow”
“the following customer, please”!
The NYTimes says the average NYC high school graduate
has 6th grade reading and writing abilities.
Think of that!
The best way for the Public Theater to respond is to give the protesters a free subscription to the 2018 season, and a Cliff’s Notes about Julius Caesar. Here’s hoping they can read.
The protesters may be able to read but they certainly can’t think!! Reasoning is completely lost on these people.
I think it will surprise no one to learn that the Right tends to be poorly-versed in Shakespeare.
As usual, they respond based on their fragile feelings since they can’t rely on intellect.
These folks didn’t like Orange Julius.
I was there that evening that woman was so annoying during the course of the afternoon even my dog wanted to bite her. But this is America and free-speech must prevail and I’m glad the show had a great run this year it ends today (Sunday) and thank you to the City Of New York for the great support that you kicked in after Bank of America and Delta Airlines pulled out of which I will never fly Delta again and have canceled the reservations on the airline and cut my Bank of America Credit cards up, payback is a bitch.
God bless the City Of New York !
Billy, punctuation is your friend. Use it please. I almost had an aneurysm reading that.:)
I’m reminded of a comment in the posting about this play the other day – seeing the right-wing nutcase shutting down speech they don’t agree with is awfully reminiscent of the behavior they loath on college campuses, and shows a remarkable lack of self-awareness.
Wow, you’re comparing one instance to all the instances of the intolerant left shouting down conservative voices…Evergreen Collge, Berkeley, Middlebury, and those are only the ones the MSM bother to air
Yes sg, that is called a “logical conclusion”.
It’s based on reason and thought rather than emotion.
Again – facts are facts. They don’t change just because your fragile self can’t handle them.
Yes, I’m saying this one incident is exactly the kind of behavior that the right has decried. Well spotted!
Some “right-wing commentators?” How about people who simply think violence condoned by the left is inexcusable? Are they all right-wing too? Let’s face it, James Hodgkinson was produced by our current media climate, in which disagreement with Trump now provides you a license to kill and maim, with the tacit support of our elites.
Do you object to all violence, or only violence condoned on the left?
Trust me, when some right-wing zealot opens fire on Democrats practicing baseball, I’ll condemn it. Which would separate me from literally millions on the left.
Sorry, where are you seeing that “literally millions on the Left” condone this shooting?
As usual, you are just being emotional and silly.
Or, if you can provide evidence to back up your claim, please do.
Don’t worry, none of us will hold our breath.
Scott, I didn’t disagree with you either that the shooting was wrong (my word was horrific), nor that there are people posting things saying that it was not – nor that many of those are self-identified leftists. A lot of people posted some awful things. They will justify it by saying that the Right has been so appalling that their lack of attention to human suffering is justified. That doesn’t fly with me, any more than it does when the Right turns its back on people suffering.
My point was that you can’t judge the entire liberal wing by the fact that there are “millions” of people who said these things. Any more than you can judge traditional conservatives by the millions who follow Alex Jones, or believe Fox News, or believe that Sandy Hook was a hoax, or that the earth is flat. In a country of more than 360 million people, you can find “millions” who support anything.
It’s time to stop flinging this sort of tantrum and start talking issues. The same thing I say to people on all sides. I don’t have to like you, nor you me, but we do have to share this city and this country and this world. For every bad act you cite of a liberal, I can come up with an equal one for a conservative (I’ll take your Russian collusion, for which we do not yet know the answer, and raise you one Benghazi, for which we have years of investigation with nothing) – but that gets us nowhere. It is going to take a long time to find a workable compromise on the big issues that are flying around; let’s get to work.
Actually, Scott, you made the claim. That means the onus is on you, not us, to verify it.
But I realize that I am dealing with someone on the Right where alternative facts are real and where education is not respected.
Original one, there’s plenty of evidence on social media to back up what I’m saying, if one were at all curious and able to operate a computer. Of course I forgot I’m dealing with the left, which is so scrupulous about facts and evidence, which explains claims like “Russia hacked the election.” Clearly an allegation backed up by air-tight, empirical evidence.
But Scott, the same thing is true of people who pretend Sandy Hook didn’t happen, that Muslims should be killed, and that the earth is flat. Millions means nothing in this context.
What happened in DC was horrific. The question of whose door the whipping up of insanity should be laid at is something you and I will undoubtedly disagree with, but it clearly is sending marginal people over the edge – in DC, in Portland, in NC, etc. Everyone needs to recognize their role in this, and bring down the rhetoric. I recognize that there is plenty of craziness on all sides, but each of us has to remember that sanity has to begin with each of us.
Oh dear – I don’t think you understand what evidence means and what it is to back up one’s claim.
I probably should have realized but thought it was worth a try.
It is literally millions. This is the wonderful thing about Twitter and Facebook. SJW psychos go on public record for all the world to see. Best thing: there’s no scrubbing from the public domain the unspeakable filth they spew. Ever.
I condemn that violence too. As do all my lefty, middle-of-the-road, and traditionally conservative friends.
Hey protesters, did anyone tell you this is Shakespearean PLAY?? DUH! Shows their ridiculous and idiotic mentality!
Seriously? Ridiculous. And the commenters as well. Ya’ll are hypocrites and fools.
When I was studying Shakespeare in college a guest lecturer, John Broom, from RSC was asked an ignorant question about Richard III. His reply was simply an arched eyebrow and the following: “Read the text”.
For all of you that seem to believe that Sharkespeare’s Julius Caesar is a play that promotes assassination as a viable solution to political ills I would simply echo: “Read the test”.
Here’s a hint. It doesn’t end well for anybody.
I know! Why don’t we just burn those awful plays, and then no one will be exposed to that degenerate art ever again.
Very low talent director who is stealing Shakespeare’s great play for his own sad and pathetic anti Trump propaganda. This is truly cultural appropriation of the lowest order. This is a childish tantrum by a second rate theater director.
Just curious- did you see the production?