Susan Sarandon apologizes for anti-Jewish rant at Palestinian NYC rally
Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon broke her silence Friday night and apologized for her anti-Jewish rant during a pro-Palestinian rally last month in NYC, saying her choice of words was a “terrible mistake.”
Sarandon told the crowd at Union Square on Nov. 17 that Jews are “getting a taste of what it is like to be Muslim in this country, so often subjected to violence” as she said she intended “to communicate my concern for an increase in hate crimes.”
“This phrasing was a terrible mistake, as it implies that until recently Jews have been strangers to persecution, when the opposite is true,” Sarandon wrote in an Instagram post.
“As we all know, from centuries of oppression and genocide in Europe, to the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh, PA., Jews have long been familiar with discrimination and religious violence which continues to this day.”
She claimed she didn’t plan on speaking at the rally, but was invited on stage to say a few words as she was at the rally with a “diverse group of activists seeking to highlight the urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza and call for a cease-fire.”
Sarandon, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress in the 1995 film “Dead Man Walking,” deeply regrets diminishing the reality” and the people she hurt with her comments.
Sarandon faced backlash over her outburst and was dropped as a client last month by top Hollywood agency UTA, which represented the actress since 2014.
The agency dropped Sarandon after several UTA staffers were “extremely hurt” by her comments, Page Six reported.
Days after being dropped, Sarandon was spotted in public as she walked through the West Village while wearing a “Simpsons” decorated Letterman-style jacket and black newsboy cap, the same articles of clothing she wore when giving her rant.
Sarandon’s apology on Instagram is her first post to the social media platform since Nov. 20, which she had previously used almost exclusively to highlight different pro-Palestinian protests around the world.
“I will continue my commitment to peace, truth, justice, and compassion for all people. I hope that we can meet with love and willingness to engage in dialogue, especially with those with whom we disagree,” she concluded her message.
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