The screenings of Leaving Neverland at the Sundance Film Festival are over, but the family of Michael Jackson aren’t finish with their barrage against the controversial documentary – by a long shot.

“Michael always turned the other cheek, and we have always turned the other cheek when people have gone after members of our family – that is the Jackson way,” said the family in their latest statement over the film that alleges the singer repeatedly sexually abused Wade Robson and James Safechuck when they were ages 7 and 10.

“But we can’t just stand by while this public lynching goes on, and the vulture tweeters and others who never met Michael go after him,” the statement adds in provocative language. “Michael is not here to defend himself, otherwise these allegations would not have been made. “ (Read the full statement from the Jackson family below)

Sundance

With a far less protesters than anticipated, increased security and a distinct show of force from the police, the two-part Dan Reed directed film premiered on the morning January 25 at Park City’s Egyptian Theatre. Along with the director, Robson and James received a standing ovation when they took to the stage after an incident free screening.

A Salt Lake City premiere of Leaving Neverland took place the next day and attracted about eight protesters in total under the watchful eye of the Utah city’s law enforcement.

Leaving Neverland is scheduled to make its small screen debut in the spring on HBO and the UK’s Channel 4.

However, sight unseen, almost immediately after it was made public in early January that Leaving Neverland would have it’s world debut at the Robert Redford founded fest at Sundance, Jackson’s family and fans have condemned the documentary.

Many noted that during Jackson’s 2005 trial on other sexual abuse charges, Robson sworn under oath that the singer never acted inappropriately with him. In an unsuccessful multi-million dollar 2016 lawsuit, which is examined in Leaving Neverland, Robson changed his story and said that the performer was a serial sexual predator who assaulted him repeatedly for years.

There’s been no new legal action by either side yet, but representatives for the estate of Jackson — who died in 2009, four years after being acquitted of seven counts of child molestation and two counts of giving a drug to a 13-year-old boy — trashed Neverland in early January as “just another rehash of dated and discredited allegations.”

On January 26, after both the SFF Park City and SLC screening had occurred, the estate declared that Leaving Neverland isn’t a documentary, it is the kind of tabloid character assassination Michael Jackson endured in life, and now in death.”

Based on that, today’s statement from the family and the reception that the film has received from critics and most who’ve actually seen it, it looks like a new battle over Jackson’s life and legacy is about to explode – in the court of public opinion and otherwise.

Statement from the family of Michael Jackson: