CPAC hotel boycott threat

Hyatt is facing a firestorm of criticism for hosting the Conservative Political Action Conference because of a stage design that resembled Nazi symbolism.

Critics have threatened to boycott the hotel chain for allowing CPAC organizers to build a stage that resembled a Nordic othala rune, which the Nazis reportedly adopted as a symbol of a superior Aryan race.

Actress Rosanna Arquette tweeted, “Hey Hyatt hotels …hosting a fascist Nazi convention is the antithesis of inclusiveness. You have made a grave error in judgment. The imminent Boycotts you are going to feel for years to come.”

“Not an accident,” actress Debra Messing tweeted.

Hyatt issued a statement on the weekend boycott threats Sunday even after President Trump delivered his much-anticipated speech. The chain defended its decision to host the conference and said it raised concerns about the stage design to organizers to no avail.

“When we learned that CPAC 2021 stage design had been compared to a symbol of hate, we promptly raised this concern with meeting organizers who strongly denied any connection to such symbols,” it added of the stage. “Unfortunately, this became clear to us only after the event kicked off.”

“We believe in the right of individuals and organizations to peacefully express their views, independent of the degree to which the perspectives of those hosting meetings and events at our hotels align with ours,” the hotel said of its decision to host the conference.

CPAC organizer Matt Schlapp has denied that the conference modeled the stage after Nazi symbolism, calling the allegations “outrageous and slanderous.”