An arson attempt leaves the theatre damaged
A cinema in Ontario has cancelled screenings of Indian films after being targeted in two violent incidents within a week, including an arson attempt and a shooting.
Film.ca Cinemas in Oakville said it was withdrawing Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1 and Pawan Kalyan’s They Call Him OG following what authorities believe were targeted attacks.
The first incident occurred on September 25 around 5:20 a.m., when two suspects attempted to set fire to the theatre’s entrance. According to Halton Regional Police, the pair used a flammable liquid, but the blaze was contained to the exterior, causing only moderate damage.
Security footage shared by the theatre showed a grey SUV circling the building multiple times before two masked individuals arrived with red gas cans. The video appears to show them pouring liquid at the doors before igniting it with a match.
Police described the suspects as follows:
• Suspect 1: White male, black pants, black hoodie, dark high-top shoes, gloves, medical mask.
• Suspect 2: Wearing black pants, a black hoodie, white socks with slip-on sandals, gloves, a medical mask, and carrying a cellphone.
The second incident took place on October 2, when a lone gunman opened fire at the theatre’s front doors around 1:50 a.m. Police described the suspect as a dark-skinned male, of heavy build, dressed in black and wearing a black mask.
Authorities believe both incidents were deliberate and have appealed to the public for information. While local sources suggested possible links to Khalistani extremist groups, police have not commented on a motive. A Hindu temple in Oakville previously reported threats from Khalistani groups, though no direct connection has been confirmed in this case.
Theatre Responds
Film.ca CEO Jeff Knoll initially vowed to continue showing South Asian films, stating in a video message: “We are going to play what we want to play, when we want to play it.”
In a statement later this week, the cinema acknowledged that evidence pointed to a connection between the attacks and its South Asian screenings. “While we do not wish to bow to threats, the situation has escalated to the point where we must take every precaution to protect our community,” the statement read.
As of Thursday, the theatre’s online listings no longer featured any South Asian films.
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