Green Book writer apologises for anti-Muslim tweet

Screenwriter Nick Vallelonga. Pic/Getty Images

Green Book screenwriter Nick Vallelonga apologised for posting a tweet suggesting that American Muslims could be seen cheering 9/11. "I want to apologise," Vallelonga said in a statement issued on Thursday night.

"I spent my life trying to bring this story of overcoming differences and finding common ground to the screen, and I am incredibly sorry to everyone associated with Green Book. I especially deeply apologise to the incredibly brilliant and kind Mahershala Ali and all members of the Muslim faith for the hurt I have caused. I am also sorry to my late father, who changed so much from Dr Shirley's friendship, and I promise this lesson is not lost on me. Green Book is a story about love, acceptance and overcoming barriers, and I will do better," he added.

The tweet was from November 2015 when at a rally, Trump had said, "Hey, I watched when the World Trade Centre came tumbling down. And I watched in Jersey City, New Jersey, where thousands and thousands of people were cheering as that building was coming down." ABC's George Stephanopoulos challenged Trump on the claim, but the then presidential candidate insisted that he saw Muslims celebrating with his own eyes.

On that, Vallelonga had commented, "Donald Trump 100 percent correct. Muslims in Jersey City cheering when towers went down. I saw it, as you did, possibly on local CBS News." The film's co-financer and producer Participant Media also released a statement, saying, "We find Vallelonga's Twitter post offensive, dangerous and antithetical to Participant Media's values. We reject it in no uncertain terms."

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