After Melissa Barrera labeled Israel's actions in Gaza as "ethnic cleansing and genocide" on social media and was let go from the Scream VII movie after her remarks, the Hollywood actress broke her silence by claiming in a post that she condemns any kind of prejudice.
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"First and foremost I condemn Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people," Barrera wrote in the post.
"As a Latina, a proud Mexicana, I feel the responsibility of having a platform that allows me the privilege of being heard, and therefore I have tried to use it to raise awareness about issues I care about and to lend my voice to those in need. Every person on this earth- regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status- deserves equal human rights, dignity, and, of course, freedom."
"I believe a group of people are NOT their leadership, and that no governing body should be above criticism. I pray day and night for no more deaths, for no more violence, and for peaceful co-existence. I will continue to speak out for those that need it most and continue to advocate for peace and safety, human rights, and freedom. Silence is not an option for me."
Spyglass, the production company behind the upcoming Scream sequel, said it maintains a steadfast policy of "zero tolerance for antisemitism."
"We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion, or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech,” a Spyglass spokesperson told Variety.