Over the weekend, the breathlessly and uncritically reported alleged hate crime supposedly committed by two Trump supporters against “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett crumbled under the weight of new evidence.
Reacting to the case’s developments, civil rights leaders have been distancing themselves from Smollett, and on Sunday, one such activist, Los Angeles’ Najee Ali, slammed the actor for nearly sparking a “race war” and demanded Smollett be “arrested and prosecuted” for the apparent “hoax.”
Ali, director of Project Islamic HOPE, said what Smollett reportedly did was a “slap in the face” to real victims.
“Today, Project Islamic HOPE is calling upon the arrest and criminal prosecution of ‘Empire’ star and actor Jussie Smollett. We believe Mr. Smollett lied about being the victim of a hate crime and being assaulted, and for us, it’s a slap in the face.”- READ MORE