Film festivals facing boycott after founders attend D.C. Trump rally
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Jerome, Arizona (KTVK) — A Facebook picture showing Ross and Ryan started it all. According to Ryan, the photo on Ryan’s Facebook page was posted before the insurrection on January 6th. “We certainly did not have any intention of causing any problems,” said Ryan.
But others did.
When rioters stormed the Capitol building, Ross said they were not a part of it and did not know it was happening. They lost their cell phone service due to the big crowds and first saw the deadly outcome when they got back to their hotel room and turned on the TV. “I saw groups fighting with cops,” said Ross. “I looked down below, and I said, ‘Oh my God, that’s the capital.” Ross went on to say it was horrific and does not condone violence.
They also weren’t aware of a battle brewing on social media. Arizona’s Family found at least two Arizona bloggers calling to boycott their festivals. The Jerome Indie Film and Music Festival as well as the Downtown Phoenix Documentary Film Festival.
Whiskey and Popcorn, a pair of film reviewers, led the charge in a Facebook post, accusing the couple of being a part of the riot.
In an e-mailed statement, one of the reviewers, Tuesday Mahrle said they deemed the entire rally as a riot and believed the festival founders are associated with extremist pro-Trump groups.
“They may not have stormed the Capitol, but their presence there led us to the decision not to attend their festivals.”
Meantime, the couple said it’s not fair they’re lumped in with the insurrectionists. “For a small group of people to reflect all of us, law-abiding citizens, would never condone this; it’s not fair to put all of us in the same pot,” said Ross.
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