The Beaverton, a Canadian satirical online publication, is facing criticism from transit officials in Toronto for posting an article appearing to poke fun at suicide.
The story published on Thursday with the headline, ‘Friends say man died doing what he loved, making thousands late on the subway,’ was accompanied by a photograph of a Toronto subway train.
Local transit officials were quick to denounce the article after it appeared on Twitter.
“You failed your readers here. Suicide is not funny, it’s not edgy or limit-pushing,” Toronto Transit Commission spokesman Brad Ross tweeted. “It’s tragic. Talk to a parent.”
Anne Marie Aikins, spokesperson for Metrolinx, the province’s regional transportation agency, also did not find the humour in the article.
“Seriously not funny. I’m hoping @TheBeaverton realizes their lapse in judgement. Suicide by rail is no joke,” she tweeted.
Following a host of negative comments online, The Beaverton removed the article and issued a statement in which it mentioned the death of the publication’s founder from suicide two years ago and “making jokes about it is one way” to process his loss.
“We respect some people feel this is inappropriate but comedy has always been our way of coping and, frankly, we don’t know any other way,” the statement read.
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