‘Don’t make me like him’: Even Alec Baldwin’s critics are taking his side after viral confrontation with pro-Palestine protester
Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin is garnering unlikely sympathy online following a viral video in which someone repeatedly demanded he say "Free Palestine."
The anti-Israel agitator confronted the actor in a coffee shop, asking, "Alec, can you please say 'Free Palestine' one time?"
She then referenced the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust in 2021. Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to an involuntary manslaughter charge in connection to the shooting. The set's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after mistakenly loading a live round into the revolver Baldwin used on set.
"Why did you kill that lady? You killed that lady and got no jail time? No jail time, Alec? No jail time, Alec," the woman in the coffee shop said. "You're putting innocent people in jail, Alec Baldwin."
Baldwin, however, could still face jail time as the case is ongoing. Prosecutors had initially dropped their case against Baldwin but re-charged him due to "new facts" in the case.
The woman initiating the confrontation was unsuccessful in getting Baldwin to engage with her, though at one point he tried to show her out the door. And at the end of the clip, he appears to smack the phone out of her hand.
"'Free Palestine,' Alec. Just one time and I'll leave you alone. I'll leave you alone, I swear," she said. "Just say 'Free Palestine' one time. One time. One time. One time, Alec."
"You know he's a criminal. You know he's a fucking criminal," she said to an employee. "C'mon Alec, just say 'Free Palestine' one time. One time. Just one time, please. And I'll leave you alone. Free Palestine. Fuck Israel, fuck Zionism. Please say it. One time."
Baldwin has frequently lacked a sympathetic crowd, between criticism of his actions and handling of the Rust shooting to his defense of Woody Allen. That's not to mention the ire he'd already been drawing from Trump supporters—which was only amplified after the former president suggested he "probably shot her on purpose."
But the videoed confrontation—in addition to the news that Baldwin told a pro-Palestine protester "why don’t you shut the fuck up" in a separate altercation in December—is garnering support, some of which is coming from unlikely allies.
Similar to the December incident—which prompted agreement from Fox News hosts—the latest video is finding an outpouring of support, even from those who are not fans of Baldwin.
The individual who incited the confrontation posted the video to X on Monday, writing: "White devil Alec Baldwin attacked me [w]hile I was trying to get coffeee."
A Community Note under the post states: "The person filming this video was not 'trying to get coffee'. They repeatedly and viciously harassed Alec Baldwin and refused to leave the establishment when asked to by the staff. There is also no evidence they were attacked."
Commented one person: "I don’t even like the guy, but totally support his actions here."
"Don’t make me like him," wrote someone else.
"I would have done the same thing," said another user. "What do you think, you can badger someone to your point of view."
"It’s really hard to make Alec Baldwin seem like the sane one in an encounter, but you managed it. Congrats," someone else joked.
Another person wrote: "Everyone says Alec Baldwin has a bad temper, but I would've punched her way sooner than he did."
Joked one person: "This obnoxious video might be doing more to rehabilitate Alec Baldwin’s image than any interview he could give."
Despite the backlash, however, the individual continues to defend her actions in remarks across X. Baldwin has not publicly commented on the encounter.
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