Film Review American Sniper

In this image released by Warner Bros. Pictures, Kyle Gallner, left, and Bradley Cooper appear in a scene from "American Sniper." (AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures)

(AP)

The University of Michigan late Wednesday released a statement saying that "it was a mistake to cancel" a showing of Clint Eastwood's controversial movie "American Sniper" and that the film will be shown as originally scheduled.

"The initial decision to cancel the movie was not consistent with the high value the University of Michigan places on freedom of expression and our respect for the right of students to make their own choices in such matters," E. Royster Harper University of Michigan vice president for student life said in a statement released about 10:45 p.m. Wednesday.

It's just the latest in the choice to screen the film on campus.

It was originally scheduled to be shown at the "UMix Late Night" program Friday night. Then nearly 300 protesters spoke out, saying the film perpetuates "negative and misleading stereotypes" against Muslims.

Sophomore Lamees Mekkaoui was the one who started a petition Tuesday after learning that a showing of the film was planned for Friday. Mekkaoui told The Michigan Daily she identifies as Arab and Middle Eastern and feels the film "condones a lot of anti-Middle Eastern and North African propaganda."

After that happened, the school's Center for Campus Involvement said it wouldn't be showing the movie at the event. It later said it would screen the film at an undetermined date when there could be a panel that was focused on reflection and dialogue.

That set off another round of criticism, a new petition to show the movie, hundreds of comments on the Center for Campus Involvement's Facebook Page and even prompted a tweet from Michigan Football Coach Jim Harbaugh:



Michigan Football will watch "American Sniper"! Proud of Chris Kyle & Proud to be an American & if that offends anybody then so be it! — Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) April 9, 2015

The conservative campus group Young Americans for Freedom, however, urged the Ann Arbor school to show the film. In a statement, the group's chairman said: "Democracy, free expression, and common sense have prevailed."

The screening of the movie will now go on as planned.

"We recognize, however, that some students are uncomfortable with the content of the movie, and appreciate that concern," Harper said in the statement.

Therefore the university is offering an alternative movie: "Paddington" will be shown at another location on campus, the release said.

"American Sniper," starring Bradley Cooper, is based on the autobiography of Navy Seal Chris Kyle.

Editor's note: The source of the statement has been corrected in this article.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

John Counts covers crime and breaking news for The Ann Arbor News. He can be reached at johncounts@mlive.com or you can follow him on Twitter. Find all Washtenaw County crime stories here.