Film critic Roger Ebert has come to the defense of the Canadian water polo star accused of trying to set two separate fires during the recent Vancouver riots, calling the Facebook group "100,000 strong to ban Nathan Kotylak from the Canada Olympic team" a lynch mob.
On Monday morning Roger Ebert, famed movie critic, tweeted that "Canadians also have lynch mobs. Facebook brings out the worst in those good people," followed with a link to the Facebook group calling on Nathan Kotylak to be barred from representing Canada at the Olympics.
Update: New video shows possible sexual assault by Nathan Kotylak.
The Facebook group was created in response to 17-year-old Nathan Kotylak's attempt at setting a Vancouver City Police car on fire on June 15th during the riots that followed the loss of the Stanley Cup by the Vancouver Canucks to the Boston Bruins in a game seven match.
In video that arose the day after the Vancouver riots, Nathan Kotylak is seen attempting to light a police car on fire with a lighter after having stuffed the gas tank with a shirt sleeve, and in a second video released Sunday he is seen attempting to light a garbage can on fire by shifting the contents and fanning the smoking debris inside with a piece of cardboard.
Nathan Kotylak made a public apology on Saturday calling his actions "dumb" and explaining that he had become "caught up in the moment" which led to his attempt at lighting a police car on fire while thousands of cameras caught his actions.
Kotylak has been suspended from the Canadian water polo program, and has fled with his family from their home after the immense wave of backlash resulted in threats of violence againts Kotylak and his family.
The Facebook group "100,000 strong to ban Nathan Kotylak from the Canada Olympic team" sprung up Sunday night with a clear message and purpose describing itself as "A group dedicated to supporting Canadian values and to denounce the actions of Nathan Kotylak."
Shelly Comeon, the creator of the Facebook group has spoken out against both acts of public vandalism and has called Nathan Kotylak's apology on Saturday "an attempt to deceive the media and the public about his actions."
Says Comeon, "He isn't sorry for what he has done, he is sorry that he got caught - two times now - and that his place on the Canadian national water polo team and his Olympic dreams are in jeopardy."
With the inclusion of Roger Ebert into the debate, Shelly Comeon feels that national exposure will encourage a healthy discussion about what should happen with Kotylak and his future within the Canadian National Water Polo team.
"Roger Ebert is entitled to his opinion," says Shelly Comeon "but from the onset of this group I have maintained that mob like mentality, threats or even posting of private information will not be tolerated.
"As tax payers in Canada, we have a right to demand where those tax dollars are spent and we are asking they do not go to support athletes who act in defiance of Canadian values and morals," asserts Comeon.
Shelly Comeon insists that "We are not here to attack Nathan Kotylak, we are here to make sure our tax dollars are spent in the right place."
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