Brody King on anti-ICE chants: ‘It’s just what’s right and what’s wrong’
Brody King addressed his reaction to anti-ICE chants at AEW shows.
AEW received mainstream news coverage last month after fans chanted “F– ICE” before the start of King’s match against MJF on the February 4 episode of Dynamite from the Pearl Theater at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Fans have continued the chants at AEW shows since, sometimes adding it to chants of “F– Don Callis.”
During a recent interview with Denise Salcedo, King was asked about the chants. King said he does not view it as a “political thing,” adding that “it’s just what’s right and what’s wrong.”
King said:
“I feel like when I was younger I always wanted somebody that felt like me on TV or wherever to express the way that they felt so I can have someone to champion for me. And if I can be that for other people that are being marginalized then I want to be that for them.
Everyone tries to bring up the political thing, in my opinion, it’s just what’s right and what’s wrong. And there’s a lot of wrong happening in the world and if I can speak out against it then I will. And you know we got guys like Mick Foley who also do the same thing.”
King was also asked about the anti-ICE chants receiving mainstream media attention.
“I wore the Abolish ICE shirt at Arena Mexico almost a year ago, I think it was June of last year, and the chants happened this year right before Australia. It got a lot of attention for the shirt and then out of nowhere kind of picked up more attention.
Obviously the state of things gets more boiled over, people are frustrated and that’s going to come out in certain ways, and I can’t think of a more positive way for it to come out than them chanting it at a wrestling show.”
Asked about his reaction to hearing the chants on the February 4 episode of Dynamite, King said:
“It took me off guard, but I also felt like I could run through a wall at that moment. And I feel like the way that MJF looked at that camera, he knew I was going to run through a wall as well.”
King has been vocal in his opposition to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and raises money through merchandise and comic books for families impacted by ICE raids.
Ian Carey is a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, whose work has been featured in NOW Magazine, The Huffington Post, and more. A lifelong wrestling aficionado born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he has covered the industry for a decade and a half. He joined the f4wonline.com team in 2019.