Fringe Festival censors artists and blocks random people from entering a public park (VIDEO)

Last Sunday, St-Ambroise Montreal Fringe Festival security prevented local artists associated with the Infringement Festival from entering a public park, which was temporarily privatized, on the grounds that they didn’t pay to be there.

Security chief Ace Lopes also denied entry to anyone in the vicinity who seemed remotely associated with Donovan King, regardless of their involvement, or lack thereof, with the Infringement Festival.

When the artists started chalking their displeasure on the public sidewalk, Fringe guards splashed water on the chalk, once again censoring the arts. The also got violent with artists playfully attempting to award new Fringe producer Amy Blackmore with an over-sized novelty cheque and a free trip to the Buffalo Infringement Festival as a token of appreciation for (really in hopes of) her changing the Fringe into a more inclusive festival.

We had high hopes that under new administration, the Fringe would be willing to build bridges and help us remove the spike that is dividing the Montreal arts community, a community that cannot afford to be separated. Unfortunately, they chose the path of bullying, exclusion and censorship.

Have a look for yourself and then ask yourself: are the Fringe really pro-artist or for padding their own pockets.

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