Melissa Barrera Speaks Out After ‘Scream 7’ Firing: “I Condemn Anti-Semitism And Islamophobia”

Less than 24 hours after her firing from “Scream VII,” actress Melissa Barrera is speaking out and breaking her silence.

“First and foremost, I condemn Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people,” Barrera wrote in a statement she shared on Instagram Stories (which you can read below in full).

READ MORE: ‘Scream VII’: Jenna Ortega Also Won’t Be Returning To The Horror Franchise For The Next Film

“As a Latina, a proud Mexicana, I feel the responsibility of having a platform that allows me the privilege of being heard, and therefore, I have tried to use it to raise awareness about issues I care about and to lend my voice to those in need,” Barrera’s statement continued. “Every person on this earth- regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or socio-economic status- deserves equal human rights, dignity and, of course, freedom.

I believe a group of people are NOT their leadership and that no governing body should be above criticism. I pray day and night for no more deaths, for no more violence, and for peaceful co-existence. I will continue to speak out for those that need it most and continue to advocate for peace and safety, for human rights and freedom.”

Barrera ended her statement with, “Silence is not an option for me.”

After it was revealed that Barrera had been dropped from “Scream VII,” Spyglass Media, the company behind the horror franchise, told Variety her axing was not because of Pro-Palestinian comments but because her words apparently veered into hate speech. A spokesperson clarified to Variety that Barrera’s posts were “interpreted” as antisemitic.

“Spyglass’ stance is unequivocally clear: We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion, or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech,” read the statement.

What statements Barrera made exactly are unclear, but during the last week, she had been reportedly sharing a post that accuses Israel of “genocide and ethnic cleansing” and one from Jewish Currents magazine about distorting “the Holocaust to boost the Israeli arms industry.” It should be noted that Jewish Current magazine is a progressive outlet and a magazine “committed to the rich tradition of thought, activism, and culture of the Jewish left.”

A day after Barrera was let go from “Scream VII,” it was confirmed that Jenna Ortega would also not return to the horror film, citing “scheduling conflicts.”

Filmmaker Christopher Landon, who is set to direct “Scream VII,” initially offered a statement on Barrera’s exit through a post on Twitter. “Everything sucks. Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make,” Landon wrote in a post since deleted.