A former president of the organization that hosts the Golden Globes has been dropped from the group’s board after calling Black Lives Matter a “racist hate movement” in an email

ByThe Associated Press

April 20, 2021, 11:01 PM

• 2 min read

LOS ANGELES -- A former president of the organization that hosts the Golden Globes has been dropped from the group’s board sending an email that called Black Lives Matter a “hate movement.”

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association board said in an email Tuesday that Phil Berk is no longer a member of the organization. The decision comes hours after NBC — which telecasts the Globes — condemned Berk’s actions and called for his “immediate expulsion.”

The show's producer, dick clark productions, also demanded for Berk’s removal.

Berk, an eight-term association president, fell under heavy scrutiny after he sent an email Sunday criticizing Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors. The South African-born Berk shared an article that called Black Lives Matter a “racist hate movement” and described Cullors as a “self-proclaimed trained Marxist,” according to a report from the Los Angeles Times.

The email was sent to HFPA members, staff and the group’s general counsel and chief operating officer.

Berk had been a member of the organization for more than 40 years.

In February, the HFPA was criticized for lacking diversity. At the time, the group had 87 members who are journalists, but none are Black, the Times reported.

The organization has said that an “action plan” was under development to admit Black members.

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