‘Law & Order: SVU’ spinoff writer fired for threatening to ‘light up’ looters
Dick Wolf has fired writer-producer Craig Gore from the upcoming “Law & Order: SVU” spinoff for threatening in a Facebook post to “light up” people breaking curfew near his West Hollywood home.
“I will not tolerate this conduct, especially during our hour of national grief. I am terminating Craig Gore immediately,” said Wolf in a statement Tuesday.
Gore, whose previous credits include cop shows “S.W.A.T.” and “Chicago P.D.,” posted a geotagged photo of himself posing with a large rifle on Facebook on Monday with the caption “Curfew...” Screenshots and criticism of the now-deleted post, along with the expletive-filled comment he made threatening to shoot those who approach his property, started circulating on Twitter shortly after. Gore noted that stores were being looted two blocks away from his home.
The Facebook post came amid nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd and other black Americans by police officers. Floyd, 46, died on May 25 after a white police officer knelt on his neck until he stopped breathing. After days of protest, the officer was arrested and charged with third-degree murder.
Entertainment companies and other brands have tried to show their support for protesters. But some have faced a backlash.
In addition to expressing their pain and frustration over Floyd’s death, protesters have called for systemic change to racist attitudes and policies. For the third day in a row, curfews have been announced in L.A. County amid the ongoing protests.
Actor Christopher Meloni, who will be returning to play Elliot Stabler in the “SVU” spinoff, clarified that he did not know of Gore; Matt Olmstead is serving as the showrunner for the spinoff series.
The unrest of the last week has already prompted a flurry of statements from TV networks, streaming platforms and individual series expressing support for the #BlackLivesMatter movement and an abhorrence of racism in general. In particular, police dramas have come under scrutiny: On Monday the “S.W.A.T.” writers room took to Twitter to issue a statement about continuing to work to “mine the truth” about “race and policing in minority communities.” It also called on law enforcement “to deescalate conflicts, not exacerbate them” during these demonstrations.
Also on Twitter Monday, “The Tick” actor Griffin Newman called on others in the industry who have portrayed police officers or worked on cop shows to donate to bail funds and other efforts that align with the cause.
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