(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
A cinema in Oakville, Ontario—just west of Toronto—has pulled the plug on all South Asian film screenings after a scary shooting and attempted arson hit its location last week. The move comes as a direct response to keep staff and moviegoers safe, according to reports from CBC.
Both attacks happened overnight when Film.Ca Cinemas was closed, so luckily, no one got hurt. The first incident unfolded on September 25, when two suspects doused the theater’s entrance doors with a flammable liquid and set them on fire. Halton Police, who’s leading the investigation, say the flames stayed contained and didn’t cause major damage.
Then, early Thursday morning around 2 a.m., another suspect walked up to the front doors and fired multiple shots from a handgun right through them. Police are urging anyone with tips to come forward and contact investigators.
Film.Ca Cinemas suspects these events might tie back to ongoing beefs in the South Asian film industry. In a statement, CEO Jeff Knoll stressed that the theater stays open for other movies and will fully team up with law enforcement. “We remain open for business and will fully co-operate with and assist law enforcement in retrieving any information about the perpetrator and conspirator and bringing them to justice—because this just cannot stand,” Knoll said. He also apologized to fans: “We recognise that many guests had eagerly anticipated these films, and we sincerely regret any inconvenience and disappointment this decision may cause.”
This isn’t an isolated case. CBC reports similar troubles, including drive-by shootings, have popped up at other theaters in the Greater Toronto Area and even British Columbia. Some distributors of South Indian films in Canada claim there’s a bigger push to block popular movies from major chains, all to corner the market and boost profits.
As Halton Police digs deeper into the Oakville cinema shooting and arson attempt, the South Asian film community in Canada watches closely amid these rising tensions.
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