Award-winning film director Quentin Tarantino is refusing to back down from his criticism of police brutality, even as police unions have launched a campaign to boycott his films. Tarantino sparked controversy after he called fatal police shootings “murders” during the Rise Up October rally against police brutality in New York City on October 24.

Quentin Tarantino: “I got something to say, but actually I would like to give my time to the families that want to talk. I want to give my time to the families. However, I just do also want to say: What am I doing here? I’m doing here because I am a human being with a conscience. And when I see murder, I cannot stand by, and I have to call the murdered the murdered, and I have to call the murderers the murderers. Now I’m going to give my time to the families.”

Quentin Tarantino defended his remarks on MSNBC’s “All In with Chris Hayes” on Wednesday night.

Quentin Tarantino: “Now, in the case of Walter Scott, who was the man running in the park and was shot in the back, in the case of Sam DuBose, I believe those were murder, and they were deemed murder. And the reason—and the only reason they were deemed murder is because the incidences were caught on video. However, if they had not been caught on video, the murderers would have gotten away with their murder. In the case of Eric Garner, in the case of Tamir Rice, I believe that those were murders, but they were exonerated.”

Other prominent cultural figures have come out in support of Tarantino, including Mark Ruffalo, musician Tom Morello, Native American activist and journalist Simon Moya-Smith and author Joyce Carol Oates. We’ll get response from actor and writer Viggo Mortensen after headlines.