section_path: Activities/2015–2017/Julius Caesar play protest
section_name: Julius Caesar play protest
paragraph_text: Julius Caesar play protest
  
  Her first stunt for Rebel Media was on June 16, 2017, when she disrupted a Shakespeare in the Park presentation of Julius Caesar in New York City, by walking on stage during the live performance shortly after the title character was assassinated. The Delacorte Theatre production reimagined Julius Caesar as Donald Trump with a Slovenian-accented actress as his wife, Calpurnia. Before being escorted offstage by security, Loomer shouted, "This is violence against Donald Trump! Stop the normalization of political violence against the right! This is unacceptable!" Loomer was arrested for disorderly conduct and criminal trespassing. Earlier in the week, performances of the play had elicited criticism for depicting women and minorities perpetrating the violent assassination of Trump as U.S. president.
  
  The Public Theater New York responded by saying although they are "champions" of the First Amendment, the disruption was caused by "social media". On June 19, Alyssa Rosenberg of The Washington Post wrote that she did not believe Loomer was genuinely offended by the play, but was looking for attention and to collect a US$1,000 bounty that alt-right social media personality Mike Cernovich had offered to anyone who disrupted the production. Appearing on the Fox News program Hannity a few days after her arrest, Loomer said she knew that disrupting the play would result in criminal charges against her. During the interview, she objected to the depiction of Caesar in the play and accused the left of "systematically and programmatically" using "free expression as a pretext to incite violence".
  
  A "Free Laura" website, soliciting donations for her arrest, had been purchased by Loomer's employer, Rebel Media owner Ezra Levant, six hours before the play started. Loomer also promoted a crowdfunding page for donations, which received $12,385 from 241 contributors, more money than the normal penalties for the charges she was facing.
  
  In August 2017, she was one of several counter-jihad activists who were appointed "Shillman Fellows", with Robert J. Shillman contributing to her salary.
  
  In September 2017, after three months, she resigned from Rebel Media.
  
  Since then, she has occasionally reported for the American far-right conspiracy theory and fake news website InfoWars, as well as the Geller Report and the American Freedom Defense Initiative.
  
  Her first stunt for Rebel Media was on June 16, 2017, when she disrupted a Shakespeare in the Park presentation of Julius Caesar in New York City, by walking on stage during the live performance shortly after the title character was assassinated. The Delacorte Theatre production reimagined Julius Caesar as Donald Trump with a Slovenian-accented actress as his wife, Calpurnia. Before being escorted offstage by security, Loomer shouted, "This is violence against Donald Trump! Stop the normalization of political violence against the right! This is unacceptable!" Loomer was arrested for disorderly conduct and criminal trespassing. Earlier in the week, performances of the play had elicited criticism for depicting women and minorities perpetrating the violent assassination of Trump as U.S. president.
  
  The Public Theater New York responded by saying although they are "champions" of the First Amendment, the disruption was caused by "social media". On June 19, Alyssa Rosenberg of The Washington Post wrote that she did not believe Loomer was genuinely offended by the play, but was looking for attention and to collect a US$1,000 bounty that alt-right social media personality Mike Cernovich had offered to anyone who disrupted the production. Appearing on the Fox News program Hannity a few days after her arrest, Loomer said she knew that disrupting the play would result in criminal charges against her. During the interview, she objected to the depiction of Caesar in the play and accused the left of "systematically and programmatically" using "free expression as a pretext to incite violence".
  
  A "Free Laura" website, soliciting donations for her arrest, had been purchased by Loomer's employer, Rebel Media owner Ezra Levant, six hours before the play started. Loomer also promoted a crowdfunding page for donations, which received $12,385 from 241 contributors, more money than the normal penalties for the charges she was facing.
  
  In August 2017, she was one of several counter-jihad activists who were appointed "Shillman Fellows", with Robert J. Shillman contributing to her salary.
  
  In September 2017, after three months, she resigned from Rebel Media.
  
  Since then, she has occasionally reported for the American far-right conspiracy theory and fake news website InfoWars, as well as the Geller Report and the American Freedom Defense Initiative.