Hollywood Liberals Demand ‘National Strike’ Following Minnesota ICE Death

Calls for a “national general economic strike” echoed through Park City, Utah, this weekend, as Hollywood entertainers used the platform of the Sundance Film Festival to demand action following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.The death of the 37-year-old ICU nurse, killed by federal agents in Minnesota on Saturday, has galvanized Hollywood, prompting stars to move beyond standard condolences to demand radical political change.A weepy Natalie Portman took time on the red carpet to say, “it’s very joyful to be at a film festival and in a creative community celebrating film together, but what is happening in our country is just obscene.”“And what [President] Trump and [Department of Homeland Security Secretary] Kristi Noem and ICE are doing to our citizens — and to undocumented people — is outrageous and needs to end. And I’m very moved by all of the people coming out and supporting each other in the community and showing the best of America, really being, like, incredible neighbors and citizens. But it’s just too much. It needs to end now.”Actor Ed Norton issued the most severe call to action, urging the public to shut down the economy in protest. “These are not normal times,” Mr. Norton told the Los Angeles Times. “We have extrajudicial assaults on Americans and humans going on a daily basis now and it’s not okay. “We cannot act like this is not happening. What they’re doing in Minnesota with the strike needs to expand. I think we should be talking about a national general economic strike until this is over,” he said.Actress Olivia Wilde, who, like Ms. Portman also sported an ‘ICE OUT’ pin at the festival, expressed her horror at the situation.“I’m appalled and sickened. We can’t go another day accepting this as our new norm,” Ms. Wilde said in an interview with Variety. “People are being murdered, and I don’t want to normalize seeing that violence — on the Internet or on film. It’s hideous. If we can do anything to support the movement to cast ICE out and delegitimize this criminal organization, then that’s what we should be doing.”The outcry extended beyond the film festival to social media, where figures like actor Mark Ruffalo described the incident as a “cold blooded murder in the streets of the USA by an occupying military gang,” and author Stephen King bluntly wrote, “Alex Pretti was murdered.”Singer Billie Eilish also addressed the incidents, criticizing what she described as “silence from public figures.” She hailed the victim, Pretti, as “a real American hero.”Others focused on direct political action. Pop star Katy Perry urged her followers to contact American senators to oppose additional funding for ICE, sharing call scripts and contact information via Instagram stories.Singer Olivia Rodrigo echoed the sentiment, saying on Instagram that she stands with Minnesota and calling ICE’s actions “unconscionable” while urging public engagement.Actress Megan Stalter issued a plea to religious followers. “I have never ever been a Republican, but I have loved God and Jesus my whole entire life,” she said. “If you are someone who identifies as Christian but supports ICE or the president, I want you to remember that Jesus was executed for challenging the system… Our government is killing people, and they are lying to us. We have to abolish ICE.”Not all voices in the entertainment sphere believe this activism is helpful, though. Bill Maher, host of HBO’s “Real Time,” offered a sharp critique of Hollywood’s political involvement in an interview with the California Post, suggesting that the industry’s “woke” stance is alienating voters.“Hollywood [is] sort of the epicenter of the woke left. I don’t think they’re doing the Democratic Party any favors,” Mr. Maher said. “I think if Democrats want to win elections in the future, job one, tell the celebrities to ‘Just shut the f*** up. You’re not helping. You don’t strike people in most of the country as sensible or in touch with reality.'”

Hollywood Liberals Demand ‘National Strike’ Following Minnesota ICE Death

Hollywood Liberals Demand ‘National Strike’ Following Minnesota ICE Death

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