Over the weekend, a Shakespeare In The Park production of Julius Caesar in New York drew some controversy over the fact that its modern-day setting involved a very Donald Trump-esque figure getting stabbed to death. Fox News, a organization not known for being especially cultured or well-read, was appalled by the way the show seemed to be advocating for Trump’s assassination, and it managed to broadcast its disgust so loudly that longtime sponsors Delta Airlines and Bank Of America decided to pull their support for New York’s Public Theater—the company that produces Shakespeare In The Park.
The Public Theater isn’t backing down, though, and it has released a statement in which it explicitly refuses to apologize for any aspect of its Julius Caesar production. It notes that it’s a good thing that the show has “provoked heated discussion,” but it makes a point to underline the fact that anyone who thinks the play is promoting violence clearly has no idea what it’s about. You can read the full statement below.