A cinema west of Toronto says it is cancelling screenings of South Asian films after an arson attempt and a shooting on its property in the past week.
Film.Ca Cinemas says both incidents at its Oakville, Ont., location occurred overnight while the theatre was closed and no one was injured.
It says the incidents “may be connected to disagreements” within the South Asian film industry and it made the difficult decision to pull the screenings for the safety of its staff and guests.
Halton police say they are investigating after two suspects used a flammable liquid to set the theatre’s entrance doors on fire on Sept. 25, although the blaze remained contained and didn’t cause significant damage.
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Police say that in the second incident shortly before 2 a.m. on Thursday, a suspect approached the cinema’s front entrance and fired a handgun multiple times through the doors.
Anyone with information is asked to contact investigators.
“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,” Jeff Knoll, CEO of Film.Ca Cinemas, said in a statement.
“We recognize that many guests had eagerly anticipated these films, and we sincerely regret any inconvenience and disappointment this decision may cause.”
Similar incidents, many of them involving drive-by shootings, have previously been reported at other theatres in the Greater Toronto Area and in British Columbia.
Some distributors of South Indian films in Canada have alleged that there is an ongoing campaign to prevent popular movies from appearing in Canadian theatre chains as part of an effort to control the market and safeguard profits.
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