Civil Rights Activists Call on 'Django Unchained' Actress to Apologize to LAPD

Several advocates are changing their stance on Daniele Watts' incendiary Facebook post: "It's like crying wolf"

Civil rights leaders who initially defended Django Unchained actress Daniele Watts in her dispute with the Los Angeles Police Department are now calling on her to apologize.

Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable president Earl Ofari Hutchinson, Project Islamic Hope president Najee Ali and other activists held a press conference Friday, telling reporters that they now have doubts about Watts' side of the story.

"I was one that was very outspoken about it," Hutchinson said about having come to Watts' defense when her story first broke, as quoted by NBC 4. "We take racial profiling very seriously. It's not a play thing. It's not trivial."

Hutchinson wants Watts to apologize to the LAPD. He said that, based on photos taken that show Watts straddling boyfriend Brian James Lucas in a car, he now believes there was "provable cause for the detention." He added about Watts' Facebook post: "It's like crying wolf."

In a statement, Watts responded by saying that she refuses to apologize, according to the Associated Press.

On Sept. 11, Watts posted to Facebook that she was handcuffed by police for "showing affection, fully clothed, in a public place." LAPD Sgt. Jim Parker told The Hollywood Reporter that the actress is making "malicious and false statements."

Watts' reps did not immediately respond to THR's request for comment.

Sept. 20 at 6:50 p.m. Updated with Watts' response.

Email: Ryan.Gajewski@pgmedia.org

Twitter: @_RyanGajewski