The union that represents writers on Jimmy Kimmel Live! is ripping the network for pulling the show off air after the comedian made some viral remarks about the shooter of Charlie Kirk.

The right to speak our minds and to disagree with each other to disturb, even is at the very heart of what it means to be a free people. It is not to be denied. Not by violence, not by the abuse of governmental power, nor by acts of corporate cowardice, said the Writers Guild of America West and East on Wednesday night, not long after Disney-owned ABC said it was pulling the show indefinitely. As a Guild, we stand united in opposition to anyone who uses their power and influence to silence the voices of writers, or anyone who speaks in dissent. If free speech applied only to ideas we like, we neednt have bothered to write it into the Constitution. What we have signed on to painful as it may be at times is the freeing agreement to disagree. The statement continued: Shame on those in government who forget this founding truth. As for our employers, our words have made you rich. Silencing us impoverishes the whole world.The WGA stands with Jimmy Kimmel and his writers.

SAG-AFTRA also released a statement in response to the news of the suspension: Our society depends on freedom of expression. Suppression of free speech and retaliation for speaking out on significant issues of public concern run counter to the fundamental rights we all rely on. Democracy thrives when diverse points of view are expressed. The decision to suspend airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! is the type of suppression and retaliation that endangers everyones freedoms. SAG-AFTRA stands with all media artists and defends their right to express their diverse points of view, and everyones right to hear them.

ABCs decision marked a major escalation of an event that took place earlier in the day: Major local TV station owner Nexstar decided to pull the late-night show from its stations in the wake of Kimmels comments on Tuesday. Nexstar broadcasting division president Andrew Alford called Kimmels remarks offensive and insensitive in his explanation of the move, adding that giving Kimmel a platform was not in the public interest at the current time.

In the remarks that prompted the firestorm, Kimmel suggested that the shooter of Kirk, a right-wing activist, could be a Make America Great Again supporter. We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it, Kimmel said.

Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr came out swinging against Kimmels commentary in an interview with a YouTuber early on Wednesday, bringing up the potential for certain ABC affiliates licenses to be revoked. He called for ABC affiliates to push back and tell the network, Listen, were not going to run Kimmel anymore until you straighten this out because were running the possibility of license revocation from the FCC if we continue to run content that ends up being a pattern of news distortion.

Kimmel had been prepared to address the backlash on his Wednesday show, a source told THR, but not apologize.