What a drag man.....
Supporters of drag camp for kids rally outside Vancouver theatre after reports of threats against staff
Supporters of a drag camp for kids gathered outside a theatre in Vancouver's Granville Island Tuesday after event organizers said they were targeted by threats.
Carousel Theatre For Kids is hosting a summer camp that lets children use "drag as a tool for artistic creation," according to a statement from IATSE Local 118 (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees of the United States and Canada).
According to the union, the theatre staff and members have been "bombarded with hateful messages" and have faced "threats of physical violence."
It called on members to gather outside the theatre on Tuesday, the first day of the four-day camp, to present a "united front against those who would do harm to anyone in our theatre community."
According to the theatre, the camp is open to kids in two age groups — seven to 11 and 12 to 17 — with an interest in expressing themselves through clothing, makeup and performance.
IATSE said a group called Action4Canada had come to the theatre presenting "bogus legal documents" and a petition with thousands of signatures.
In an email to CBC News, Action4Canada shared a notice of liability that the group said is "not a legal document at this point," but aims to inform theatre management of potential liability.
"In this case it is both unlawful to sexually exploit children and is causing them harm," said the email.
Legal experts have questioned the value of notices of liability, with one University of British Columbia law professor telling CBC News in 2021 that such documents appear to be nothing more than assertions of what someone believes the law to be.