Ben Stiller issues statement condeming ICE: “We must demand justice and end this lethal chaos”
Ben Stiller has called for the removal of ICE agents from the streets of the United States amid the ongoing situation in Minneapolis.
Stiller’s lengthy statement comes after anti-ICE protestors Alex Pretti and Renee Good were both killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis.
Over the past several days, many major figures in the film industry have spoken out against ICE, including Molly Ringwald, Natalie Portman and Ethan Hawke.
Meanwhile, Bruce Springsteen also launched a scathing takedown of ICE’s conduct in Minneapolis on his new single ‘Streets of Minneapolis’, which he has released in memory of Pretti and Good. He also called out “the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis”.
Now, Stiller has issued a heartfelt statement on social media, which began with him writing, “I love our country. But, like so many of us, I’m concerned about the future of our democracy.”
The Hollywood star added of the recent deaths in Minneapolis, “We’ve now seen the violent murder of American citizens, killed in cold blood in broad daylight by masked ICE agents. These were our neighbors, their lives ended by armed militias entering our communities with impunity.”
He then stated that Pretti and Good “were denied due process in life and dignity in death by an administration who refuted the reality the world saw, shifting blame to the victims and creating false narratives about their lives and those fateful days.”
Stiller also highlighted how the Bill of Rights was introduced “specifically to protect individual liberties from potential government overreach”, before noting, “And yet here we are, Innocent people are being harassed, separated from their families, and in some cases killed.”
In the letter, the Severance director spoke about how the act of “peaceful protest that is a constitutionally protected form of free speech that is essential to our existence as a democracy.”
He also said that the role of elected representatives and those in power comes with a “responsibility to act with integrity and honesty”, as well as “to not lie to us, in the face of the plain facts.”
Stiller powerfully continued, “We must demand that they represent the expressed will of the people they serve, including removing ICE from our streets. We must demand justice and an end to this lethal chaos.”
His emotional letter concluded, “I believe we can reverse this slide toward division nd hate. Facing this moment with a return to empathy and love for one another might sound naïve, but it’s ultimately what will move our country forward and out of this.”
Stiller’s full statement is available to read below.
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