Brooklynites Protest Breakfast At Tiffany's
By MONICA MORALES Staff reporter

8:22 p.m. EDT, July 12, 2011
BROOKLYN, NY (PIX11)—
Breakfast at Tiffany's is a popular movie classic, but it is now coming under fire from Asian groups in Brooklyn who are asking people to boycott the movie.

Breakfast at Tiffany's is set to be shown on August 14th as part of a free film series in Brooklyn Bridge Park called "Movies With a View."

"I think they have a valid point," said Ron Harley, reacting to a growing online petition with already more than 200 signatures. The outrage is concerning the supporting role played by Mickey Rooney as Hepburn's Asian neighbor.

The person that organized the petition says, "This 1961 film features a blatantly-racist...buck-toothed portrayal of a Japanese American...which has for decades offended the Asian-American community and its allies. Please boycott this film."

Some moviegoers say they are not bothered by the more than four decades-old film. "I don't feel offended. I have no problem with it," said Lisa Lew, an Asian American who lives in Brooklyn.

"I am Puerto Rican and I am not offended by West-side Story," said Santos Gonzalez, who plans on attending the free film series this August.

Repeated attempts to reach the Brooklyn Bridge Conservancy, the agency that runs the film event, were not returned today. According to published reports, management at the Conservancy still plans on running the film in August and appreciates everyone's viewpoint.