Outrage over comedy group's Robert Pickton T-shirts sparks protest

Controversial comedy troupe Danger Cats performed at a Vancouver gym onSunday, despite a crowd of protesters gathered outside the downtown venue, which laterapologized viasocial media for hosting the act.

A previously scheduled Danger Cats show was cancelled in Metro Vancouver in February.That show generated outcry due to the troupe's online saleof T-shirts that protesters said made light ofserial killer Robert Pickton's victims.

Picktontargeted sex workers and vulnerable women in the Downtown Eastside, and many of his victims were Indigenous women.

One of those victims has been identified as Tanya Holyk, whose cousin Lorelei Williams was at Sunday's protest.

"These views perpetuate dangerous stereotypes and discrimination," Williams said of the Danger Cats T-shirt. "It was this very discrimination that allowed Pickton and his associates to prey upon these women for so long."

The T-shirt shows a caricature ofPicktonholding a bacon strip underneath the words "Pickton Farms." Under the caricature is the text "Over 50 flavours of hookery smoked bacon."

Williams said that the Danger Cats' T-shirts and attitude towardPickton and his victims"needs to be deemed hate speech."

"Our government has committed to reconciliation, had acknowledged that a genocide has and continues to occur in this country and therefore must take action to clearly denounce any speech that promotes the disgusting narrative that racist, misogynist violence against Indigenous women and girls is a joke."

CBC News reached out to the Danger Cats after the Sunday night protest, but has not received a response. The Canadian comedy trio is comprised of Sam Walker, Brett Forteand Uncle Hack.

The remains or DNA of 33 women were found on Pickton's pig farm in Port Coquitlam, B.C., about 25 kilometres east of downtown Vancouver. He once boasted to an undercover police officer that he killed 49 women.

He was convicted of six counts of second-degree murder in 2007 and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of full parole for 25 years.

Sunday's show was held at a gym that apologized Monday for what it called a "grave mistake."

In a statement posted on Instagram, F45 Training Vancouver Chinatownsaid the space was outsourced for private events and athird party handledbookings.

"Unfortunately, a mistake was made, and proper vetting of the event organizers did not occur," the statement said.

"We are beside ourselves and sick that we let this happen in our studio."

The statement added that the show was "not representative of the values that our gym stands for."

Police presence

Tensions rose on Sunday as protesters blocked ticket holdersfrom gettinginto the venue, and police arrived at the scene to shepherd people inside.

WATCH |Protesters speak outsidecontroversial comedy show:

Controversial comedy show sparks protests in Vancouver

5 months ago

Duration 1:01

The comedy troupe Danger Cats saw protests at their show in downtown Vancouver on Sunday after a previous cancellation at another Metro Vancouver venue last month. The group had been selling T-shirts that protesters said made light of serial killer Robert Pickton's victims.

"Officers were on scene to keep the peace," Vancouver Police Department Const. Tania Visintin said in an email to CBCNews.

"There were no arrests and nothing of note occurred."

Previous show cancelled

Last month, a New Westminster comedy club announced it was cancelling a scheduled Danger Cats show after online uproar.

A petition with over 2,000 signatures demanded that performance's cancellationat the time.

"This group is known for profiting off the tragedy of the Willie Pickton serial killer by making and selling shirts that exploit the murdered and missing Indigenous women and other women who were his victims," the petition reads.

"Their act also includes content such as residential schools and mass Indigenous graves, which is completely unacceptable."

In a since-deleted Facebook post, Rick Bronson's House of Comedy B.C. wrote it had decided to cancel the event, saying it missed the mark and aims to do better.

"While we value and support the freedom of expression in comedy, we recognize that the chosen material for this show has caused discomfort in our community," the post read.

When asked by CBC News for more details on why the show was cancelled, House of Comedy vice-president David Facey declined to comment.

BC Today52:31Impact of comedy show's mocking of victims of Robert Pickton

The fallout continues after Alberta comedy act Danger Cats took their Robert Pickton t-shirts off their sales website and cancelled their upcoming appearances in Alberta, Texas and in New Westminster at Rick Bronson's House of Comedy BC. The t-shirt mocked victims of serial killer Robert Pickton, and their set included disparaging remarks about residential school survivors. Our guests today included New Westminster city councillor Daniel Fontaine with a reaction from his community, and Sue Brown, director and lawyer for Justice for Girls. Our thanks to our audience for their thoughtful and insightful calls, emails and texts about the topic.

Support is available for anyone affected by these reports and the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Immediate emotional assistance and crisis support are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through a national hotline at 1-844-413-6649.

You can also access, through the government of Canada, health support services such as mental health counselling, community-based support and cultural services, and some travel costs to see elders and traditional healers. Family members seeking information about a missing or murdered loved one can access Family Information Liaison Units.