The Star Wars franchise has been political in its design from the get-go. The original trilogy is largely seen as an analogy for the world’s rebellion against the Nazis and Adolf Hitler during World War II and later films and series built on this premise of a rebellion’s fight against a fascist empire.
Political tensions are at a high, especially in Los Angeles, due to the protests against ICE and its process of rounding up illegal immigrants. President Donald Trump has also reportedly deployed the National Guard, and news about excessive violence in the city has been coming out.
Star Wars actor Sam Witwer issued a statement, pledging his support for the protesters and urging the public to be vigilant about narrative-spinning and media trials. He also criticized Donald Trump for his reaction to the issue of illegal immigrants.
Star Wars actor Sam Witwer issues a statement amidst the LA riots
Sam Witwer is best known for portraying Crashdown in Battlestar Galactica, but the actor has been a small but important part of many franchises. He has portrayed multiple voice roles in the Star Wars franchise, including Darth Maul in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Rebels, and Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Amid the Los Angeles riots currently occurring, Witwer issued a statement regarding how the media would portray the protests. The actor mentioned what the core philosophy of the protests was and how ICE had been taking allegedly undocumented immigrants into detention centers and deporting them without proper processes.
Witwer also criticized Donald Trump, stating that the POTUS had escalated the situation by deploying the National Guard, but mentioned that at its core, the protests were still coming from a place of love, despite some ‘idiots’ inciting violence.
The situation has turned quite violent in the past few days, with multiple reports of property damage from protestors as well as police brutality coming in. Many fans criticized Sam Witwer’s statement, bringing up the various images of protestors waving Mexican flags and burning up cars.
Donald Trump deployed the National Guard as the LA riots escalated
What began as a contained protest against ICE’s arrest and deportation measures has turned into a violent battle between federal authorities and the protestors. Los Angeles saw violence escalate in key areas as the protests turned dangerous and President Donald Trump deployed over 2,000 National Guard troops to contain the protests (via USA Today).
Reports of property damage and police brutality have polarized the general public’s perception of the protests. While some have termed it a riot, others are comparing it to the 2020 Capitol riots and how the perception has been different. LA governor, Gavin Newsom, urged Trump not to send the troops, fearing it would escalate the situation further (AP News).
While actors like Star Wars’s Sam Witwer urge the public to check the authenticity of sources, there seems to be a huge escalation in terms of how the protests are being portrayed in the media as well.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
