Political Commentator Ben Shapiro Addresses Film Being Shut Down in Livingston

Controversial political commentator and podcaster Ben Shapiro is speaking up about protests he and his team encountered while filming a movie.

Shapiro posted an entire response to social media, criticizing officials and individuals who he says are trying sabotage his production of the film.

Ben Shapiro's Film Production Faces Challenges in Livingston

Shapiro along with the Daily Wire are producing a pro-ICE movie that includes its own version of the Renée Good incident. That incident made headlines as Good was fatally shot by an ICE agent back in January while still in her vehicle.

The film was apparently set to film in Livingston where Shapiro claims he followed all of the proper protocol to obtain permits to begin production.

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"When you put together a film, it takes a lot, a lot in terms of production," Shapiro said in a video response about the film production, "You have to get the permit, which we did."

"You have to get everybody there, which we did. Every single day, it costs you hundreds of thousands of dollars to film. All these people decided to show up and disturb the filming."

Livingston Locals Disrupt Shapiro's Film

In his video response about his team's experience in Livingston, Shapiro cited all sorts of ways Livingston locals made their voices heard.

"This included some of the weirdest people in existence because Livingston is apparently filled with weirdos," Shapiro said, "There's one man playing the trombone and heckling us."

"Here's a woman who was protesting in the middle of us shooting, attempting to stop the shooting and thwart it. If that sounds like that person has a low voice, there's a reason for that."

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Shapiro said that he and his team weren't planning on utilizing security until they had to.

"Listen, originally we didn't actually require armed guards around the set," he said, "After all, we're filming in a small, relatively crime-free town."

"But according to the lawyer's letter we actually had to send to the Livingston County Attorney's Office, we had to get security on the very first day."

Shapiro Accuses Livingston Officials of Violating the First Amendment

Shapiro didn't hold back on his feelings toward the Livingston City Commission and their decision to pull his team's permit to film.

"It turns out that the legal agency of the city, the Livingston City Commission, decided to basically go along with the people breaking the law and disturbing the set," Shapiro said, "The nutty members of the town descended on the Livingston City Commission and demanded they rescind our filming permit. Now, of course, again, we had a permit."

"Of course we did, because we don't violate the law. And so, some of the lefty townspeople decided to use the power of the law to stop us. And they were helped by the county commissioner."

Shapiro explained that a meeting was held on a Saturday and that no one from his team was requested to attend so "nobody from [their] side showed up."

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"And the commissioners basically just violated the First Amendment pretty openly," Shapiro said, "Commissioner Jessica Wilcox framed her number one question as, quote, does Livingston really want to approve projects that require armed guards?"

"But of course, the police are only there because the protesters keep committing crimes. The residents who told the commission they're afraid to leave their homes are afraid of the same people that the producers are afraid of."

Shapiro Says This Wasn't About Permits and Protocol

Finally, Shapiro wraps up his response with what he thinks led to his film production being shut down.

"There's only one reason the city commissioners ruled last Friday they were going to stop our production on the street," Shapiro said. "Politics, pure and simple."