Group speaks out against violent Trump parody video

NEWTOWN — The Newtown Action Alliance is calling on social media and internet companies to take down a graphically violent parody video that shows a fake President Donald Trump shooting, stabbing and assaulting members of the news media and political opponents.

The video, which is a doctored clip from the movie “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” was shown last week at an American Priority conference at Trump’s Doral Miami resort, the New York Times reported Sunday.

“We implore you to immediately remove this violent video from all your platforms,” Newtown Action Alliance said in the online petition Monday. “This video is a representation of hate speech in a nation ravaged by mass shooting.”

The letter details the actions in the video, naming the organizations and people attacked and how.

“These types of videos help to normalize, glorify and promote hatefueled gun violence in churches and other public places all across America,” the Newtown Action Alliance states.

The Newtown Action Alliance is a national, volunteer grassroots organization founded by Newtown residents after

the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012. It is made up of advocates, families of victims and survivors of gun violence who are working to end gun violence.

White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham tweeted Monday morning that the president “has not yet seen the video, he will see it shortly, but based upon everything he has heard, he strongly condemns this video.”

Event organizer Alex Phillips told the Times the video was played as part of a “meme exhibit” and was not associated with or endorsed by the conference “in any official capacity.” “American Priority rejects all political violence,” he said, and is looking into the matter.

The video includes the logo for Trump’s 2020 campaign but Tim Murtaugh, spokesman for the reelection organization, told the Times the “video was not produced by the campaign, and we do not condone violence.”

The Newtown Action Alliance is not the only

group to speak out against the video.

Late Sunday, the White House Correspondents Association issued a statement saying it was “horrified” by the video.

“All Americans should condemn this depiction of violence directed toward journalists and the President’s political opponents,” said Jonathan Karl, WHCA president. “We have previously told the President his rhetoric could incite violence. Now we call on him and everybody associated with this conference to denounce this video and affirm that violence has no place in our society.”

The video is set in the “Church of Fake News” and includes a number of news outlets in the attacks.

Eric Baradat / AFP via Getty Images The White House has condemned a video depicting a fake President Donald Trump shooting and stabbing media figures and political opponents that was shown at a conference for his supporters.

Andrew Harnik / Associated Press Members of the audience wearing Newtown Action Alliance shirts appear at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on assault weapons on Capitol Hill in Washington on Sept. 25.