Ontario: A movie theatre in Canada's Ontario stopped the screening of Indian films, including 'Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1', after it was attacked twice in a week. Officials at Film.ca Cinemas believed that the attacks were carried out due to the screening of South Asian movies. The cinema is located in Oakville town.
The theatre's management said that the decision to halt the screening of South Asian movies was taken to protect the staff. The first incident took place on September 25, when two men tried to set the theater on fire.
The cinema also released the CCTV footage of the arson using gas cans. The fire was reportedly contained to the exterior. Only moderate damage occurred.
"This is not the first time we’ve faced vandalism and threats tied to the screening of Indian films. While these repeated acts are troubling, they will never deter us from providing a safe and welcoming place for our community to enjoy cinema together," the cinema said in its X post.
In the footage of the September 25 incident, two men wearing black-colored hoodies could be seen throwing inflammable material at the entry gate of the theatre. The accused then set the theatre on fire. In the CCTV, the miscreants could be seen fleeing from the spot after setting the theatre ablaze.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, a shooting incident was also reported outside the theatre. Fortunately, no one was inside the cinema hall at the time of the firing.
"We recognise that many guests had eagerly anticipated these films, and we sincerely regret any inconvenience and disappointment this decision may cause,” Jeff Knoll, CEO of the theatre, said in a statement, as quoted by The Times of India.
"As these Incidents have occurred outside during our overnight hours, we believe that the intention is to cause property damage that will result in forcing our hand to close our doors," Knoll added.
As per the report, the attacks were carried out due to its participation in the exhibition of South Asian films. After the attacks, the cinema cancelled the screenings of Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1.
