Quentin Tarantino's Dad Slams Him for Anti-Cop Comments

Quentin Tarantino's dad says his Oscar-winning movie director son is "dead wrong" for calling police officers "murderers."

"I love my son and have great respect for him as an artist but he is dead wrong in calling police officers, particularly in New York City where I grew up, murderers," actor Tony Tarantino said in a statement released by the New York Police Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, reports USA Today.

"He is a passionate man and that comes out in his art but sometimes he lets his passion blind him to the facts and to reality," Tarantino continued about his son. "I believe that is what happened when he joined in those anti-cop protests. I wish he would take a hard, dispassionate look at the facts before jumping to conclusions and making these kinds of hurtful mistakes that dishonor an honorable profession."

Police unions in Philadelphia and Los Angeles, along with New York and New Jersey, are calling for a boycott of Quentin Tarantino's films over his remarks at a police brutality protest in New York last weekend.

Tarantino's new movie, "The Hateful Eight," is to be released on Christmas.

At the Oct. 24 rally, the director said that some police officers who shoot civilians are murderers and that he stands "with the murdered."

New Jersey State Police Benevolent Association President Pat Colligan on Friday, while calling for a boycott of Tarantino to reach into his state, said he believes that anti-police rhetoric is spurring violence.

"As a public figure his voice is one that people listen to," Colligan said. "He has an obligation to be more responsible. This is not a movie, this is real life where police officers lives are impacted by his words."

But activist Carl Dix, who leads RiseUpOctober, who organized the protests where Tarantino spoke, said the boycotts and criticism are "outrageous," and that police are issuing them to warn other prominent protesters that if they speak out, "we will come after you, threaten your livelihood and attempt to scare you back into silence."

PBA President Patrick Lynch praised the elder Tarantino for speaking out against his son, as it is not easy to do that someone you care about.

"But he has insulted the very people who protect his freedom of speech and who facilitate the making of his films," said Lynch. "He owes an apology to law enforcement officers across country and we will continue to encourage the boycotting of his films until he makes such an apology."

Tarantino has not apologized, and veteran publicist Howard Bragman told USA Today if he does, it will be because he's been pressured into it. Tarantino, he said, is being used as a "pawn" for police departments who want to use him as an example. 

"But Quentin Tarantino has not gotten to be where he is because he's the most politically correct guy in Hollywood, and people like him because he's not PC," Bragman said. "He's not the guy who's going to grovel."

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