Left-Wing Activists Demand CNN Re-Hire Marc Lamont Hill: ‘Reprehensible,’ ‘Don’t Understand the Controversy’

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 07: Moderator Marc Lamont Hill attends BET Presents 'An Eveni
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Justin Caruso

Many on the left and in the media are calling for CNN to re-hire Marc Lamont Hill after the commentator was fired from the network Thursday following controversy over a number of anti-Israel comments he made.

Hill was fired by CNN after he appeared at the U.N. and made a number of anti-Israel remarks. He called for a “free Palestine from the river to the sea” which implies the destruction of the state of Israel as it stands today, and he defended violence committed by Palestinians.

Though many on the right applauded Hill’s firing, many prominent voices on the left dug in and expressed their support for him.

Activist and host of CNN’s United Shades of America W. Kamau Bell said, “I know . I was happy to have him on . I listened to his UN speech & i don’t understand the controversy. We have to be able to discuss Israel & Palestine. & in other news… How does Rick Santorum still have a job at CNN?”

Left-wing activist Shaun King chimed in, saying, “ needs to admit it made a real mistake firing Marc Lamont Hill today. People clearly misrepresented his speech in wild and dishonest ways. It was a speech about human rights and freedom.”

Eddie Glaude, a professor a frequent MSNBC guest, said, “ unjustly fired for his speech at the UN. CODEPINK is circulating a petition demanding his immediate rehire.”

New York Times writer Charles Blow also sent a message of support to Hill, saying, “For the record: I consider a friend and one of the smartest most upright people I know.”

Glenn Greenwald of The Intercept said, “CNN’s firing of Marc Lamont Hill over his Israel/Palestine speech is a major victory for ‘online call-out culture’ but a major defeat for the right to advocate for Palestinian rights, to freely critique Israel, and for journalism and public discourse to accommodate dissent.”

Check out all of the defenses for Hill:

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